Group urges DENR to shut down Bulacan landfill for alleged environmental violations

The operations of a landfill in San Jose Del Monte and Norzagaray, Bulacan should be halted for polluting the environment, a group urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Thursday.

The Alliance for Consumer and Protection of the Environment, Inc. (ACAPE) claims that the Wacuman Sanitary Landfill is situated along water systems that flow to the Angat Reservoir and as far as the Manila Bay, through the Marilao River.

"The location of this facility is a violation of Presidential Decree (PD) 1152 which prohibits landfills along the banks of rivers and streams," it said as it pointed out that surrounding communities may be exposed to various health risks.

The group claimed that the landfill is not included in the Land Use Plan either of tSan Jose Del Monte or Norzagaray, both in Bulacan.

Neither was Wacuman able to secure a Sangguniang Bayan resolution confirming compliance with petinent sitting, design ciriteria and standrads, as required under the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

The group said Wacuman's facilities are adjacent to a water system, in violation of Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order No. 50 Series 1998, which requires facilities to be at least 300 meters away from a water system.

The group cited a study by the CRL Environmental Corp dated February 26, 2019 of sample water from the area showing that the landfill posed "seriously reprehensible and unacceptable threats to health and environment."

The group asked the DENR to issue a cease and desist order against the landfill operations for alleged non-compliance to environmental laws and failure to secure necessary permits from the affected local government units.

GMA News Online reached out to the management of Wacuman Sanitary Landfill for comment but has yet to receive any.

Last June, 17 towns in Bulacan faced problems on solid waste disposal after a portion of the road to the said landfill collapsed in May. —LDF, GMA News