Cebu, Philippines — After a tragic landslide at a landfill in Cebu City that caused many deaths and injuries, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ordered the temporary suspension of operations of Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc. (PIWSI).
According to a statement by the DENR on Monday, January 12, they issued a cease-and-desist order against Razon-owned Prime Waste after their technical team conducted an inspection in Central Visayas on January 9. The landfill in Barangay Binaliw collapsed on January 8 on a materials recovery facility and nearby staff housing, leaving more than 50 sanitation workers trapped in the debris.
As of Monday, eight people have been confirmed dead, while 28 are still missing, according to the Cebu City Disaster Council. The number of casualties is likely to rise as search and rescue operations continue. According to the DENR, a 2007 memorandum of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) allows the Regional Director to halt a company's operations when there is a threat of “grave or irreparable environmental damage.”
Despite the halt order, PIWSI's retrieval and cleanup efforts continue with government agencies. The DENR said, “PIWSI has also been called to a Technical Conference to establish facts and execute a compliance commitment within 90 days.” It also handles waste management at the 20-hectare landfill, which processes 1,000 tons of waste per day, as Cebu City's main drop station.
Despite the incident, the DENR is coordinating with local government units (LGUs) to strengthen solid waste management, including collection, disposal, oversight, and enforcement of environmental ordinances. According to the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, LGUs are required to have a 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan, including measures for waste recovery and reduction.
