3 missing after landfill collapse in Rodriguez, Rizal

MANILA, Philippines — Three people have so far been reported missing after another landfill collapse, this time in Rodriguez, Rizal, the municipal government said Sunday.

According to the Rodriguez government in a statement, an initial investigation found three individuals still missing after a trash slide occurred at the Green Leap Sanitary Landfill in Barangay San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal on Friday afternoon, Feb. 20.

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“Our concerned offices are continuously working with the private operator of the landfill in monitoring the situation to discover the whereabouts of such persons and adequately address the situation,” the local government said.

It then called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to conduct an investigation on its own, as it called the incident a “matter of national concern.”

In a separate statement, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) said it is now “closely monitoring” the trash slide and its aftermath, stating that it has already conducted an on-site investigation and ordered immediate stabilization operations.

“EMB-Calabarzon personnel were deployed to the site to assess the extent of the erosion and to verify reports of missing individuals,” the DENR said.

“The Proponent Operator was likewise directed to implement stabilization activities, such as leveling and sloping of the eroded area to prevent further instability,” it added.

Furthermore, the DENR said its EMB-Calabarzon office also directed Green Leap Solid Waste Management to adopt the following measures to ensure “rapid corrective action:”

• Provide a detailed action plan and daily project status reports on retrieval and rehabilitation activities;
• Immediately conduct waste compaction and daily soil covering;
• Control heavy equipment movement and restrict access to high-risk zones;
• Implement slope stabilization and maintain regular site inspections.

It also announced that a technical conference is set to be held with the landfill’s operator to discuss the details of the incident, status of Environmental Compliance Certificate  (ECC) compliances, and the issuance of corresponding Notice of Violation for identified non-compliance with their ECC conditions based on the results of the investigation. /mr