DENR flags 5 critical dumpsites at high risk of fire

Justine Jay Tabo

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has flagged five major sanitary landfills across the country—in Navotas, Rizal, Cebu City, Davao City, and Pangasinan—as being in “critical condition” and at severe risk of catching fire.

Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Director Michael Matias disclosed the warning to the Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change during a hearing on solid waste management, responding to lawmakers’ calls for preemptive action against mounting landfill hazards.

The EMB identified the high-risk facilities as the Navotas Sanitary Landfill in Metro Manila, the Rizal Provincial Sanitary Landfill in Rodriguez, the Binaliw Sanitary Landfill in Cebu City, the Davao City Sanitary Landfill, and the Urdaneta Sanitary Landfill in Pangasinan. 

The alert comes in the wake of several serious incidents at these sites, including the Navotas facility, which caught fire on April 10 and burned for an entire month due to excessive methane buildup.

Fatal structural collapses have also highlighted the dangers at these sites. In January 2026, a massive trash slide at the Binaliw Sanitary Landfill in Cebu claimed 36 lives and left 18 people injured. 

Just weeks later, in February, another garbage mound collapsed at the Rizal landfill, killing at least one person. 

In response to ongoing issues, the Davao City landfill was ordered permanently closed on June 20, 2026, to undergo safe rehabilitation, while the Urdaneta facility is slated for a ₱459-million upgrade following years of violations under the Philippine Clean Water Act.

Failure of governance

During the proceedings, Sen. Risa Hontiveros pointed out the irony that these critical facilities are located in highly urbanized areas with ample resources. 

“This is a symptom of a deeper problem—a failure of governance and implementation in our waste management. Our laws are clear. Landfills are meant to be the last resort, not the default solution,” Hontiveros emphasized.

She urged local government units to enforce proper waste reduction, segregation, and recycling, stressing that under national law, landfills are intended as a last resort rather than the default solution for garbage disposal.