Tapaz sanitary landfill is the first in Capiz
CAPIZ – Tapaz is so far the only municipality in this province set to operate a sanitary landfill.
Construction of t he f a c i l i t y has j ust been completed.
It will start operating on May 27, according to the Tapaz Information Office.
Located i n Barangay A g c o c o c , t he s a n i t a r y landfill forms part of the Tapaz Waste Management Center which also includes a Materials Recovery Facility ( MRF), among others.
Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 defines a sanitary landfill as a “waste disposal site designed, construc t ed, operated and maintained i n a manner that exerts engineering control over s i g n i f i c a n t p o t e n t i a l environment impacts arising from the development and operation of the facility.”
RA 9003 prohibits open dump sites and i nstead requires sanitary landfills as the final disposal site for solid and residual wastes of a municipality or city or a cluster of municipalities or cities.
Open dump is a “disposal area wherein the solid wastes are indiscriminately thrown or disposed of without due planning and consideration f or environmental and health standards.”
The Depar t ment o f Environment and Natural Resources is cracking down on open dumps i n t he country, and targets to close down the last of these.
“As a n a l t e r n a t i ve , sanitary landfill sites shall be developed and operated as a final disposal site for solid and, eventually, residual wastes of a municipality or city or a cl uster of municipality and/ or cities,” stated RA 9003./