Sanitary landfill in Bataan shut down

Hermosa town Mayor Jopet Inton hangs the closure notice at the gate of the sanitary landfill being operated by Econest Waste Management Corp. for alleged environmental violations. (Photo by Greg Refraccion)

HERMOSA, BATAAN –– The sanitary landfill here was ordered closed on Thursday for alleged violations of environmental laws.

Mayor Jopet Inton and his security escorts hung a closure notice at the gate of the facility being operated by Econest Waste Management Corporation.

Inton had previously issued notices of violations to Econest, alleging that it had violated the “no segregation, no collection” policy under the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (Republic Act 9003).

“Econest even accepts garbage from Quezon City when under our agreement only garbage from Hermosa and Bataan should be accepted in its landfill,” Inton told the Inquirer.

He said Econest also breached a contract with the local government when it failed to share a portion of its income from the landfill operation with Hermosa.

But lawyer Beula Coeli Fiel, the waste management firm’s president and chief operating officer, refuted the allegations.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, Fiel said only the Environment Management Bureau of the Department and Natural Resources could order the closure of Econest.

Fiel said 72 workers at the facility would lose jobs because of the closure./lzb