Envi Group Urges Independent Probe into Navotas Fire, Other Landfill Incidents

Environmental group BAN Toxics expressed deep concern over the multiple landfill-related incidents in recent months, calling them a reflection of the critical gaps in waste management practices and policies, and the ‘business-as-usual’ mindset. Citing the ongoing fire in the Navotas Sanitary Landfill, the group said “This is what happens when businesses take precedence over the protection of public welfare and the environment.”

“The fire could have been prevented if all parties involved exercised the precautionary principle and ensured the landfill’s safe closure and rehabilitation,” said Jam Lorenzo, BAN Toxics Deputy Executive Director and head of Policy Development and Research Unit.

“Instead, by prioritizing court orders and schedules over environmental safeguards, we are now in this situation that has impacted the environment and endangered the lives of millions of Filipinos.”

Lorenzo was referring to the court-ordered expropriation and writ of possession to transfer the site to San Miguel Aerocity Inc. (SMAI), effectively removing Phil Ecology Systems Corp. (PhilEco), the former operator of the landfill. SMAI is set to construct a cloverleaf interchange linked to the New Manila International Airport project in Bulacan.

With multiple parties pointing fingers at each other, BAN Toxics is calling for an independent fact-finding mission to determine accountability and ensure that the full chain of decisions that led to this disaster is examined. “The public deserves answers that go beyond legal maneuvering and corporate disclaimers. An independent investigation, involving not only the government but also civil society, is the only way to cut through the bias and get to the truth,” Lorenzo said.

The group added that such an independent fact-finding body can also look into previous incidents of landfill issues, such as the deadly trash slide at the Binaliw Landfill in Cebu City last January 8, which killed 36 workers, and the similar collapse at the Rizal Provincial Sanitary Landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal last February 20, which left one dead and two others missing. The Navotas fire is the third major landfill incident in the Philippines in less than four months. The group has also called on the government for a thorough assessment of the status of all landfills and dump sites in the country, stressing that these recurring disasters point to a systemic failure in waste management oversight that can no longer be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

BAN Toxics also pointed out that, ultimately, the recent landfill tragedies are a symptom of a deeper waste crisis that can no longer be addressed downstream or at the point of disposal, where waste has already been generated, collected, and dumped. According to the group, lasting solutions require embracing genuine zero waste principles — reducing the production and consumption of single-use plastics and other products designed for disposal — and holding producers accountable for the waste they generate, rather than leaving communities and the environment to bear the consequences.

The group also warned that the recent incidents should not be used to justify the government’s push to adopt waste-to-energy (WTE) or other combustion-based waste management processes. “Burning waste does not solve the waste crisis — it simply moves the problem from the ground to the air. It produces a wide range of toxic chemicals, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that remain in the environment for generations, posing serious risks to public health and the environment,” Lorenzo said. “What these incidents tell us is that we need to cut waste at the source of production, not more ways to dispose of it. Business-as-usual no longer works.” #