Cerilles opposes MMDA plan to open eight dumpsites in Metro

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Antonio Cerilles expressed yesterday strong opposition to the plan of Metro Manila mayors and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to put up at least eight open dumpsites as alternatives to the closure next month of the San Mateo sanitary landfill.

Cerilles said that additional open dumpsites in Metro Manila posed potential environmental risks that will threaten the lives of people living near them.

Earlier, MMDA assistant general manager for operations Rogelio Uranza suggested that Metro mayors put up eight open dumpsites to prevent a garbage crisis . Uranza identified possible sites in Malabon, Valenzuela, Las Piñas and Manila.

Cerilles said the MMDA and local governments should instead use controlled dumpsites which are better than open dumpsites, citing the tragic incident that struck the Payatas dumpsite in Quezon City last July 10.

"Open dumps pose the highest potential environmental risks because they are unplanned and there is no control over waste inputs and emissions," Cerilles said.

He said that open dumps cause "contamination of ground and surface water, reduction in flood storage capacity, increased risk of flooding upstream of the site, loss of wetland habitats and their biodiversity; increases in vermin, pests and scavenging animals; high levels of odor and dust."

Aside from these, Cerilles said, open dumpsites also contribute to uncontrolled squatting as in Payatas; visual blight from uncovered waste and distress to local residents associated with the dumpsite and reduction of property value.

"They also affect health as in the case of Payatas where children and waste pickers were directly exposed to solid waste and its related environmental health problems," Cerilles said.

Cerilles said the MMDA and local government executives should utilize controlled dumpsites which strictly conform with technical guidelines for municipal waste disposal prepared by the Presidential Task Force on Waste Management.

"Conformity with the technical guidelines would at least ensure proper management of controlled dumps and minimize potential environmental and health hazards’ Cerilles said.

But under DENR administration order 98-49, Cerilles said, the operation of controlled dumpsites is only allowed in highly urbanized cities like those in Metro Manila until December 2001.

The same AO requires the LGUs to convert from controlled dumpsites into sanitary landfills.

Cerilles warned that administrative charges will be filed against mayors who fail to convert their existing dumpsites into sanitary landfills.

At the same time, he called on Metro Manila mayors to coordinate with the DENR Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) headed by director Peter Anthony Abaya.