Group Faults DENR, Execs for Montalban Toxic Dump

“We condemn the International Solid Waste Integrated Management Services Inc. (International SWIMS) and the Rizal Provincial Government headed by Gov. Casimiro Ynares III for dumping toxic leachate to Montalban River. This practice not only pollutes the river, but also endangers the health and welfare of people including the residents of Metro Manila,” said Clemente Bautista Jr., national coordinator of the militant environmental group Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE).

The Rizal Provincial Government is the operator of the 19-hectare Rizal Provincial Sanitary Landfill in the municipality of Rodriguez, Rizal. Last year, Governor Ynares wrestled the control of the landfill operation from the municipal government of Rodriguez led by Mayor Pedro Cuerpo. Later, the Provincial Government contracted the privately-owned International SWIMS to manage the landfill.

Yesterday, the landfill’s personnel were caught on video directly dumping their leachate into the Montalban River. It was found out that the landfill operator had no wastewater treatment facility.

“We denounce the immediate exoneration of Gov. Ynares made by DENR Secretary Lito Atienza without conducting any investigation about the incidence. DENR should also not be let off the hook so easily and must be investigated along with Gov. Ynares. First, DENR allowed the operation of a landfill within an environmentally critical watershed area. Secondly, Sec. Atienza approved the operation of another 19-hectare landfill. And lastly, DENR authorized the SWIMS and the provincial government to operate the landfill even with the absence of wastewater facility. These show how incompetent and irresponsible DENR Sec. Atienza is.” explained Mr Bautista.

The Rizal landfill is designed to accommodate only the waste produced by Rizal province but most of the garbage of Metro Manila is being dumped into the facility. Of the 8,000 metric tons (MT) of trash produced by Metro Manila residents everyday, 3,000-4,000 MT are brought to the Rodriguez landfill. The rest is brought to other landfills in Navotas City and Pier 18 in Manila, and to the provinces of Bulacan and Laguna. However, the Rizal government even extended the dumping of Metro Manila garbage into the facility for another six months since June this year.

“The closure of Montalban landfill is long overdue, as it is being operated irresponsibly and beyond its capacity. The national government, DENR and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has failed to provide a long-term solution to the garbage problem of Metro Manila and the country. Billions of pesos of budget go to garbage management, but most of these end in the pockets of corrupt government officials. Amid this, garbage management as a public service continues to deteriorate,” ends Mr. Bautista. ###

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