Garbage 'crisis' looms amid closure of country's largest landfill in Tarlac

The impending closure of the Kalangitan landfill in Capas, Tarlac may cause a garbage “crisis” according to Jonathan Andal’s special report in 24 Oras special report on Wednesday.

About 2.5 million households from more than 130 cities and municipalities will be affected by the closure of the 100-hectare landfill as about 400 truck loads of trash are dumped in the site every day.

In a letter signed on April 22, 120 local government units (LGUs) requested Environment Secretary Maria Antonia-Yulo Loyzaga to halt the closure of the facility until they find suitable alternatives.

Capas Mayor Roseller appealed for the extension of Kalangitan landfill’s operation as their municipality has yet to allocate a budget for the disposal of their garbage. The town disposes its garbage in the landfill for free since it is located in their municipality.

In the neighboring town of Bamban, its leader also made a request: “On behalf po sa bayan ng Bamban, gagawin namin ang makakaya namin para hindi maapektuhan ang basura na nangagaling sa amin,” Bamban acting Vice Mayor Erdy Timbang said.

(On behalf of Bamban, we will do our best so that our garbage disposal will not be affected.)

The landfill will be closed on October 5 under the order of the Bases and Conversion Development Authority (BCDA),  which owns the property the landfill occupies.

The Kalangitan landfill also receives waste produced by 300 clinics and hospitals in Metro Manila,

“Baka mapilitang dumating kami sa point na hindi namin hakutin ang mga basura sa hospitals kasi wala kaming pagdadalhan. Sa amin namang treatment facility mapupuno yan,” said Sanitation Services president Dabby Abadilla.

(We might be forced to come to a point when we will no longer collect waste from hospitals since we don’t have a place to dispose of them. Our treatment facility is almost full.)

Hospital waste such as human organs are brought to the landfill since there is a separate pit for these dangerous materials.

“The only accredited sanitary landfill na meron cell para sa hazardous waste, treated hazardous waste ay ang Metro Clark. Merong ibang sanitary landfill pero walang cell para sa hazardous waste,” Abadilla added.

(The only accredited sanitary landfill that has a cell for hazardous waste is in Metro Clark, Pampanga. We have another sanitary landfill but it does not have a cell for hazardous waste.)

BCDA decision

In a statement, BCDA explained that its 25- year contract of least with Metro Clark Waste Management Corporation, the company operating the Kalangitan landfill, has ended.

BCDA said the contract cannot be renewed since it will violate the Build- Operate- and- Transfer (BOT)  Law. However, the company did not specify which provision will potentially be breached.

The BCDA added that a landfill does not fit in the government’s plan for New Clark City, which is set to be a premier investment and tourism destination.

The corporation said it will help the affected LGUs look for other landfills to replace Kalangitan.

According to Department of Environment (DENR) Region 3, there are three garbage facilities in Pampanga that can accommodate about 11,000 tons of garbage when merged, which it says is much more than what the Kalangitan landfill can handle.

However, Victoria Gaetos, executive vice president of Metro Clark Waste Management, said merging the three garbage facilities cannot be done overnight.

Gaetos added that should the closure be pursued, about 400 employees would lose their jobs.

William Galang, an employee in the landfill, said he worries for his children and their education if he loses his job.

Gaetos said they thought the management facility was part of the plan for New Clark City.

GMA Integrated News has sought comments from DENR and BCDA about this matter but they have yet to reply. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News