THE DEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it has successfully closed all illegal dumpsites in the Central Luzon region, citing close cooperation with local governments.
“LGUs (Local government units) in Central Luzon played a significant role in the closure of open dumpsites in the region and have been cooperative and supportive with the DENR campaign including implementation of Solid Waste Management Law,” DENR Regional Executive Director Paquito T. Moreno, Jr. said in a news release on Wednesday.
The presence of an engineered sanitary landfill in Tarlac, according to Mr. Moreno, contributed to the success of the DENR’s campaign to improve the country’s solid waste management “as it ably provided the necessary facilities to accommodate a large number of wastes all over the region.”
The facility, owned by Metro Clark Waste Management Corp., is the country’s first engineered sanitary landfill certified by the International Standards Organization.
It accepts 3,500 tons of waste daily, of which 3,000 tons come from cities and municipalities of Central Luzon.
The Solid Waste Management Law enacted in 2001 mandates the country to “adopt a systematic, comprehensive and ecological solid waste management program.”
DENR Secretary Benny D. Antiporda had earlier said that the closed illegal dumpsites will undergo a safe closure and rehabilitation plan under the supervision of the Environmental Management Bureau. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago