News Release

National Solid Waste Management Commission Releases Guidelines

for the Closure and Rehabilitation of Dumpsites

The National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) has
formally released the guidelines for the closure and rehabilitation of
disposal facilities.

The Guidelines on the Closure and Rehabilitation of Disposal Facilities
(NSWMC Resolution No. 5), in effect since December 15, 2005, specify
the components needed in the implementation of a closure and
rehabilitation plan for open and controlled dump facilities. Republic Act
No. (RA) 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, mandates
the closure and phasing out of all open dumps and controlled dumps
within five years from its effectivity on February 16, 2001.

The guidelines are being set to ensure that closure of the dumps and
disposal facilities will be done in a proper manner, with environmental
protection measures and safeguards in place.

Prior to closure, all dumpsites are to be assessed on the following:
location, access, area, lot owner, terrain, surrounding land-use,
surrounding surface features, nearby human receptors, hydrogeologic
setting, wells, springs and surface water bodies near site, daily waste
volume, waste pile dimensions and volume, extent of exposed waste,
period of operation, slope, drainage if any, evidence of contamination,
presence of squatters and waste pickers, reports or evidence of
spontaneous combustion, reported dumping of hazardous wastes, and
number and types vehicles which bring in waste to the location. This is
to identify potential environmental hazards the disposal facilities cause,
to formulate appropriate remedial and mitigating measures to address
such.

The DENR requires cities and municipalities to prepare a rehabilitation
and closure plan, following the site assessment, to be implemented by
local government units. The plan should include components such as
site clearing, relocation of informal settlers at dumpsite, site grading and
stabilization of critical slopes, application and maintenance of soil cover,
provision of drainage control system, leachate management, gas
management, fencing and security, prohibition of burning at the
dumpsite, and putting up of signages.

The Guideline also designates the Provincial and Community
Environment and Natural Resources Offices of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources to provide technical assistance to
local government units (LGUs) in the formulation of their respective site
closure and rehabilitation plan which should be submitted to the
Regional Office of the Environmental Management Bureau for the
issuance of an Authority to Close (ATC). The ATC stipulates the approval
of the Closure Plan, along with the conditions requisite to the site closure
program and monitoring of the LGUs.

Closed sites that are to be found to be reused as open dumps will be
sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of RA 9003 and
Presidential Decree No. 984.

In relation, the NSWMC-Secretariat has released a Guidebook for Safe
Closure of Disposal Sites, a manual ensuring the safe closure and
rehabilitation of disposal facilities in the country. The Guidebook is
available for free at the NSWMC Secretariat Office at the 2
nd
Flr., HRD
Building, DENR Compound, Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, with
contact nos. (632) 920-2252, 920-2279, 925-4796 / 925-4797 local 3. #