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MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has shut down an open dumpsite being operated by the local government unit of Sta. Ana, Pampanga, which is being disguised as a recycling facility.
The DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Region 3, along with the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group and Sta. Ana Municipal Police Station, served the cease and desist order against the open dumpsite located at Barangay San Nicolas.
The operation of the open dumpsite, the DENR said, is a violation of Section 37 of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
Under RA No. 9003, no open dumps should be established and operated by any person or even local governments.
DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda visited the LGU-run open dumpsite on Friday.
“We are again in this situation that they use the term materials recovery facility (MRF) but in reality, it is an open dumpsite, which the law prohibits,” he said.
He also found out that Sta. Ana Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer (MENRO) Bryan James Garcia, who is former employee of DENR-Region 3, prepared the report used as basis for the Notice of Violation (NOV) issued to the Sta. Ana local government in 2018.
The NOV, Antiporda said, was relative to the operation of the open dumpsite but the Sta. Ana LGU did not act on the notice.
Aside from the cease and desist order, the EMB also directed the Sta. Ana MENRO to provide a safe closure and rehabilitation plan within seven days.
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu previously ordered the closure of some 200 remaining open dumpsites across the country by March in accordance with the solid waste management law.