THERE’S a renewed effort by the environmental authorities to enforce an important but much violated provision against dumping under Republic Act (RA) 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which took effect in 2001.
Twenty-one years after the law took effect, our country is still swarming with open and controlled dumpsites in clear violation of RA 9003. Therefore, the renewed efforts by the authorities to shut down these blatantly illegal disposal facilities and promote compliance to waste prevention and reduction regulations enshrined in the law must be supported.
Section 37, Article 6 of RA 9003 prohibits the establishment and operation of open dumps for solid waste disposal upon the effectivity of the law in 2001. It directs local government units (LGUs) to convert open dumps into controlled dumps by 2004, and further stipulates a ban on controlled dumps by 2006.
Harmful emissions and releases from open dumpsites are a threat to human health and the environment. It is therefore incumbent upon authorities, most especially local government units, to ensure that measures are undertaken toward the proper closure, clean-up and rehabilitation of the dumps.
LGUs that still allow the operation of dumps in their areas of jurisdiction must decentralize waste management down to the barangay level; enforce source segregation in each and every household; implement the “no segregation, no collection policy” to compel everyone to cooperate; establish and operate materials recovery facilities in every barangay or cluster of barangays; close, clean up and rehabilitate dumpsites; and put in force the ban on open burning and other prohibited acts under R.A. 9003.
With the participation of all stakeholders and the adoption of essential waste prevention policies such as banning single-use plastics and other non-environmentally acceptable products and packaging, we will be able to build and grow zero waste cities, municipalities and barangays.
