PB endorses DENR guidelines for closing controlled dumps

The Provincial Board's environment committee has supported the Department of Environment and Natural Resources planned directive to close all open and controlled dumps nationwide.

PB member Victor Maambong, committee chairman, said the DENR plan to issue guidelines on the matter will make local government officials know of their responsibility in protecting the environment.

Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, mandates that all controlled dumps will be closed and converted to sanitary landfills within this year, and the DENR has issued the implementing guidelines for such.

Maambong noted that in spite of RA 9003, which took effect last February 16, there are many open and controlled dumps in various towns in Cebu province that have not been closed and converted to sanitary landfills.

Maambong said Zoilo Andin, executive director of the National Solid Waste Management Commission of the DENR-Central Office, said the guidelines are aimed at ensuring that the law will be complied with to protect the environment.

Under the proposed guidelines, towns and cities must conduct an assessment of the new site and prepare a closure plan immediately after.

Governor Gwen Garcia, for her part, said it is imperative that the problem of garbage disposal be resolved thus she directed the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources to create clusters of northern and southern towns, each cluster of which will maintain its own landfill.

PENRO chief Glenn Baricuatro said his office had identified already barangay Maslog in Danao City as possible site of the proposed sanitary landfill for the northern cluster. - Jose P. Sollano