DENR orders closure of Bohol town garbage dump
TAGBILARAN CITY—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has shut down a garbage dump in Guindulman, an old town in the eastern part of Bohol province.
The DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) served the cease and desist order (CDO) against the local government unit of Guindulman on Monday (Jan. 25) afternoon.
The DENR said the closure order meant that “it will not anymore be allowed to accept disposal of any type of waste and that any person or entity who shall act in contravention of the closure order shall be liable.”
The environment department said Guindulman officials have long been advised to rehabilitate the area heeding guidelines for safe closure and rehabilitation plan (SCRP) of open dumps and controlled garbage facilities.
On March 3, 2020, the DENR ordered Guindulman officials to immediately cease and desist operating the dump and carry out its SCRP.
But in a follow-up inspection on April 1, 2020, the EMB regional office found that the municipality continued to operate its dump and no closure and rehabilitation efforts were made despite the closure order issued by the DENR bureau.