THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said the New San Mateo Sanitary Landfill (NSMSLF) in San Mateo, Rizal, has the capacity to accept and accommodate additional volume of garbage from the city of Manila and other cities in the metropolis.
MMDA chief Romando Artes made the remarks when sought for comment on the issue after San Mateo Mayor Bartolome “Omie” Rivera Jr. expressed opposition to the move.
Rivera cited the lack of consultation, adding he was caught off guard by the MMDA’s directive to Manila and the announcement of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno. He also cited the potential risks it poses to residents of San Mateo.
The MMDA’s directive came after the permanent closure last Tuesday of the Navotas Sanitary Landfill (NSLF), where Manila and other cities in the National Capital Region previously disposed of their waste.
Artes stressed that the NSMSLF will only take a portion of the waste of Manila and other cities.
“Alam nyo naman itong San Mateo landfill operational na siya since 2011, may environmental compliance certificate din ‘yan at approved din ng provincial government at ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Additional volume lang naman ang dadalhin, and it is within the capacity of the landfill to accept the additional volume of garbage (The San Mateo landfill has been operational since 2011, it also has an environmental compliance certificate and also approved by the provincial government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Only an additional volume of garbage will be brought there and it is within the capacity of the landfill to accept the additional volume of garbage),” Artes explained.
Artes said he will also meet with Rivera to thresh out the issue.
“Maybe it’s a matter of communication. I talked to Mayor Omie and we agreed that I will talk to him,” Artes said.
Artes said he will also talk to Rizal Governor Rebecca Ynares to discuss the issue, as well as the use of another landfill in the province.
Artes also assured Metro Manila residents that there will be no garbage crisis despite the closure of the Navotas facility.
Aside from Manila, Navotas, Pasay, Parañaque, Pasig, Malabon, and Valenzuela were also affected by the closure of the NSLF and were advised to redirect their waste to the San Mateo facility being managed and operated by the MMDA.
The 19-hectare San Mateo facility has a daily capacity of 2,000 metric tons of garbage on a daily basis.
It also has leachate holding ponds, a water-treatment facility that produces clean water to grow fish and plants and a material recovery facility that recycles garbage materials.
Other local government units, especially those in the eastern part of Metro Manila, use the Rizal Provincial Sanitary Landfill, which is being managed by the Integrated Solid Waste Management System.
The MMDA earlier said that the 16 cities in Metro Manila, as well as the lone municipality of Pateros, generate at least 9,000 metric tons of garbage daily, accounting for nearly 25 percent of the country’s total daily waste production of 40,000 metric tons. – With Christian Oineza
