Manila: The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) has ordered stabilization measures at a sanitary landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal following a trash slide on Friday that left three persons missing. The department asked the landfill operator, Green Leap Solid Waste Management, Inc., to conduct leveling and sloping of the eroded area to prevent further instability.
According to Philippines News Agency, the DENR has instructed the landfill operator to provide a detailed action plan and daily project status reports on retrieval and rehabilitation activities. The operator has also been directed to immediately conduct waste compaction and daily soil covering, control heavy equipment movement, restrict access to high-risk zones, implement slope stabilization, and maintain regular site inspections. The DENR has deployed a team to conduct an on-site investigation to assess the extent of the erosion and verify reports of missing persons.
Rodriguez, Rizal Mayor Ronnie Evangelista, in a separate statement, confirmed that three persons were reported missing as of Sunday evening. He emphasized that local offices are collaborating with the landfill's private operator to monitor the situation and find the missing persons. He urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to investigate the incident as a matter of national concern.
Meanwhile, Rizal Governor Nini Ynares clarified that the landfill, despite its name, is privately owned and operated, not under the provincial government's management. In a letter to Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla dated February 20, she requested an immediate investigation into the incident to ascertain the facts and determine any potential environmental and public safety implications, including any reported or possible injuries, missing persons, or loss of life. She called for appropriate assessments and necessary remedial measures to prevent further risks to the communities and environment.
The EMB stated it would hold a technical conference with the landfill operator and issue a notice of violation for any identified non-compliance with their environmental compliance certificate conditions, based on the investigation results.
