Environmental regulators have allowed limited operations at the Binaliw Sanitary Landfill months after a deadly trash slide forced its closure, but the move has drawn concern from city officials who said they were not formally informed.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (DENR-EMB 7) partially lifted its cease-and-desist order against operator Prime Integrated Waste Management Inc. (PIWMI), permitting restricted activities subject to strict compliance with environmental and safety requirements.
EMB-7 Regional Director Atty. John Edward Ang said the decision aims to address Cebu City’s urgent waste disposal needs while ensuring safeguards are in place.
“Cebu has an urgent need for a functional waste disposal facility to handle the city’s waste, and our decision followed a careful evaluation of the company’s compliance measures,” Ang said.
He stressed that the lifting is conditional, requiring full adherence to the project’s Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), ongoing rehabilitation, and stabilization of the landfill site.
Operations remain limited and subject to continuous monitoring, including inspections on waste handling and leachate management, to prevent a repeat of the January 8 disaster that killed 36 people.
DENR-EMB 7 said the project’s ECC was amended on March 31 to allow additional engineered safety features, including a new landfill cell and an interim cell to support controlled operations.
The new cell covers about 14,000 square meters with a capacity of over 90,000 metric tons, while the interim cell spans 2,746 square meters with nearly 19,500 metric tons capacity.
Despite the partial reopening, Cebu City officials raised concerns after learning that limited waste acceptance had already begun.
During an executive session, PIWMI manager Niño Abellana Jr. confirmed the company had started accepting waste from private firms.
“Actually yes, naa na miy gidawat,” Abellana said, noting that less than 50 metric tons had been received over several days.
Councilor Joel Garganera questioned the move, pointing out that the landfill remains under investigation.
“Wala pa man na mahuman ang imbestigasyon… and now you are preparing to accept fresh garbage? How can you assure the safety sa atong garbage truck drivers?” he said.
Other council members also expressed frustration over the lack of prior notice.
“Wa gyud miy kalibutan nga nag partial operation na sila,” said Councilor Pastor Alcover.
The Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) likewise said it had not received official documentation regarding the partial lifting or ECC amendments.
Abellana clarified that current operations are limited to an interim cell and are being used to test traffic flow and operational adjustments while awaiting Cebu City’s bidding process.
The landfill was shut down in January following a massive trash slide that buried workers and nearby homes, leaving 36 people dead and prompting intensified scrutiny of waste management practices in the city. (LLP)
Photo by Jacq Hernandez, PBB Photojournalist
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