By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff Reporter
PAGUDPUD, Ilocos Norte—After
failing to adhere to the provisions of the Ecological Solid Waste Management
Act, this town’s open dumpsite was ordered shuttered.
Situated at Barangay Caunayan,
the controversial garbage dump was ordered by closed the Dept. of Environment
and Natural Resources pending the municipality’s construction of a sanitary
landfill.
Provincial Environment and
Natural Resources Officer Juan delos Reyes confirmed this following the
submission of the municipality’s closure plan.
While still searching for a
possible location of the proposed Pagudpud sanitary landfill, Mr. Delos Reyes
said the municipality may consider rehabilitating the open dump site of
Pagudpud into a controlled dumpsite.
To date, Pagudpud Mayor
Marlon Sales reported that in preparation to the closure, the Pagudpud local
government initiated plans such as the development of compost pit in every
household including the conduct of information, education, and communication
(IEC) on proper waste segregation.
As to the closure and
rehabilitation of the Caunayan open dump site, the Pagudpud government has
allotted funding for the construction of a retaining wall, fencing of its
premises, leveling of the steep slope and covering the site with soil, and
printing and hanging of tarpaulins stating among others that the dump
site is now permanently closed.
According to Mr. Delos Reyes,
the DENR is still validating other municipalities here who have yet to comply
with the Solid Waste Management Act.
“If the local government
units can not comply on the first and second warning, that will be the time to
issue a closure order,” Mr. Delos Reyes stressed.
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