Montalban landfill fire prompts health advisory, air monitoring

The local government of Rodriguez, Rizal (Montalban) is working with the International Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialist Inc. (ISWIMS) to contain a fire that broke out at the town’s landfill over the weekend, officials said Monday.

The fire at the landfill, which has long been a source of concern for residents, caused thick smoke and an odor that reached parts of Metro Manila, including Quezon City. In response, the Montalban local government issued a health advisory and began distributing face masks to affected communities. Some residents living near the landfill were also evacuated as a precaution.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) confirmed that the haze experienced over Metro Manila on 28 April 2025 was partly due to the landfill fire, along with a separate warehouse fire in Commonwealth, Quezon City.

"Based on the real-time air quality measurements conducted by the EMB(Environmental Management Bureau) DENR, the hazy skies observed over Metro Manila on 28 April 2025 may be attributed to (1) the fire that broke out at the Sanitary Landfill located at Montalban, Rizal, and (2) the warehouse fire in Commonwealth, Quezon City" the environment department said in their statement.

The agency reported that particulate matter concentrations (PM10 and PM2.5) peaked between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM on Sunday but had dropped back within safe levels by 9:00 AM. It also emphasized that air quality can vary depending on pollution sources and weather conditions, and assured the public that monitoring activities would continue.

As of Monday, the Montalban local government said the fire at the upper portion of the landfill had been contained, while efforts to fully extinguish the blaze at the lower portion were ongoing.

The DENR and the local government have both urged residents to take necessary precautions, particularly those in areas where the smell and haze are still being felt.