MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it has identified 183 local government units (LGUs) to be issued final notices for “apparently failing to act on or refusing to implement” the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act or Republic Act 9003.
RA 9003 mandates solid waste management as a primary responsibility of LGUs.
“Those who fail to comply can be charged administratively with the Office of the Ombudsman,” DENR Secretary Ramon Paje warned.
He said his department will go after LGUs which refuse to comply with RA 9003.
“Local officials who do not implement RA 9003 are in essence depriving their constituents of their constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology,” he said.
RA 9003 mandates LGUs to set guidelines and targets for solid waste avoidance and volume reduction through source reduction and waste minimization measures, including composting, recycling, reuse, recovery, and green charcoal process before collection, treatment and disposal in appropriate and environmentally sound solid waste management facilities and in accordance with ecologically sustainable development principles.
Local officials should also ensure the proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment and disposal of solid waste through best practices in ecological waste management, excluding incineration.
Paje said he instructed the Environmental Management Bureau and the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) to work together in monitoring the status of LGUs’ solid waste management practices.
Based on NSWMC records, there are 1,205 disposal facilities across the country. Of these, only 33 or less than three percent are sanitary landfills that serve 55 LGUs. The rest are open and controlled dumps, of which 535 are now under rehabilitation and closure.
Paje said the DENR is bent on intensifying its drive to enhance compliance of LGUs, especially those still operating open dumps and controlled disposal facilities.
Paje urged households to practice waste segregation to lessen the volume of household waste collected.
He earlier bared plans to impose penalties on collectors of unsorted waste as provided under RA 9003.
“Everyone should realize that solid waste management should be a collective effort because it can be a win-win situation for all. We minimize waste that is collected or thrown in the streets, and lessen the dangers to health and safety. We can also make money out of what we reuse, recycle or salvage from the materials recovery facilities, and provide livelihood for those who need it,” Paje said.
NSWMC records show that the nation churns out 35,000 tons of waste daily, of which 40 to 70 percent are collected.
Metro Manila alone generates 8,400 tons of waste daily, most of it dumped in sanitary landfills in Navotas, Quezon City and Rodriguez, Rizal.