The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has ordered the closure of an open dumpsite in Guindulman town.

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Charlie Fabre said that the DENR 7, as ordered by its director Paquito Melicor, Jr., issued on Monday a cease-and-desist order against the Guindulman local government unit (LGU) which runs the dumpsite.

According to Fabre, the LGU failed to rehabilitate the dumpsite in compliance with the Safe Closure and Rehabilitation Plan (SCRP) as stipulated in Department Administrative Order No. 9 series of 2006.

“Wala niya gi-close ang iyang dumpsite. Dapat e-manage na nila either by modular, mura’g semi-landfill. Gamay lang iyang kaluton unya paghuman tabunan. Pero based sa evaluation sa atong personnel, wala g’yud,” Fabre said.

Operating an open dumpsite is strictly prohibited under Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

The DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau conducted its assessment of the dumpsite in 2020 and had sent advisories to the LGU to comply with the order to rehabilitate.

According to Fabre, they are ready to provide assistance to the LGU in meeting the standards set by the DENR including the improvement of its materials recovery facility.

“We are willing to  assist the LGU, mangita ta og option unsa nato pag improve para mabalik. The more na magkadugay na, the more magkaproblema tay kay aha man nila ilabay,” he said. (A. Doydora)