Navotas landfill fire sparks possible charges vs operator

The operator of the Navotas Sanitary Landfill may face administrative, civil, and criminal liabilities following the recent fire incident at the waste facility, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) said Tuesday.

EMB Officer-in-Charge Regional Director Atty. Janice R. Pammit said the agency is assessing possible violations of environmental laws.

“Literally, there are violations for environmental laws. They can be charged administratively, it can also be criminal—it depends on the gravity of the offense, and civil,” she said in a media interview.

Pammit said a notice had already been issued to the landfill operator on Monday, but no response has been received.

She noted that under Presidential Decree 1586, or the Environmental Impact Statement System, administrative penalties may include fines of up to P50,000 per violation. Criminal charges may also be pursued depending on the findings.

The EMB is also reviewing the landfill’s compliance with Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, and Republic Act 9275, or the Clean Water Act.

Pammit said both the Navotas and Payatas sanitary landfills in Metro Manila are currently non-operational but remain under EMB monitoring to ensure safe practices.

She added that the planned safe closure of the Navotas landfill did not push through after the operator withdrew its application.

“We will call them for a technical conference within this week once they receive the notice,” the DENR official said in Filipino.

Initial findings point to a gas buildup in the landfill, triggered by hot weather conditions, which caused friction and eventually ignited the fire.

The blaze, which started on 10 April and lasted for three days, is believed to have affected air quality in the area.

Data from the EMB showed that PM2.5 levels reached an “acutely unhealthy” level of 90 µg/Ncm on 11 April, before dropping to 39.5 µg/Ncm, classified as “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” on 12 April.

“For air quality status in NCR, for PM10, or particulate matter 10, the level is Good and Fair based on our air quality monitoring stations within NCR”.

“For particulate matter 2.5, the fine particles, Navotas, Malabon, and parts of Quezon City are somewhat unhealthy for sensitive groups”, Pammit said, adding that other areas recorded good to fair air quality.