Navotas Sanitary Landfill

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14°42′03.4″N 120°54′43.4″E / 14.700944°N 120.912056°E / 14.700944; 120.912056 The Navotas Sanitary Landfill is a non-operational landfill in Navotas, Metro Manila, Philippines.

History

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Historical landfills in Navotas
  • 1
    Tanza CDF[1]
  • 2
    Navotas Sanitary Landfill

Site C4 dumpsite

The local government of Navotas previously maintained a small dumpsite in Bagumbayan North along the C4 Road. It operated from 1996 to October 2002.[2][3]It was characterized as a waste transfer station.[4]

Tanza CDF

The C4 dumpsite was later superceeded by the Tanza controlled disposal facility (CDF) in Barangay Tanza. The setting up of the Tanza facility happened during the administration of Mayor Toby Tiangco as early as 2001 amidst a garbage crisis in Metro Manila.[4][5] It was met with opposition from nearby residents, mostly fishpond owners who are supported by leftist groups which expressed concerns of potential pollution.[3]

The facility which started accepting garbage in 2004 had a maximum load of around 500,000 tons. It served the town as well as the city of Manila.[6] The dumpsite was operated by the Philippine Ecology Systems Corporation (Phileco).[7]

The operations of the Tanza CDF was distrupted from April to November 2005. After groups based in the neighboring town of Obando, Bulacan set up a barricade at the Binuangan River.[6]

The Tanza CDF was mandated to close by February 16, 2006 as per the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.[7][8]

The Navotas Sanitary Landfill was set up to replace the Tanza CDF.[8] The dumping ground which began operation in 2006 was also managed by Phileco.[9]

A court-approved expropriation in 2023 turned over the property to the San Miguel Aerocity Inc. (SMAI) for the proposed New Manila International Airport.[10] Phileco closed the landfill on August 26, 2025 ahead of its franchise expiration in December.[11][12] Phileco vacated the facility in February 2026.[12]

2026 fire

On April 10, 2026, a fire broke out at the closed Navotas Sanitary Landfill at around 7:56pm (UTC+8). The Bureau of Fire Protection declared the fire was under control on April 12. However fire still persists on the site. Half of the fire was extinguished by April 28.[13]

Smog from the fire has affected various parts of Metro Manila.[14] Around 500 people living on nearby islands were evacuated away from the landfill.[15]

Facilities

The Navotas Sanitary Landfill is hosted on an island and covers an area of 41.121 ha (101.61 acres).[9][16] It was billed as the first bay area type engineered sanitary landfill in the Philippines.[17]

The Vitas Marine Loading Station in Tondo transports garbage from Manila to the Navotas Sanitary Landfill via the sea.[9]

References

  1. Metro Manila Solid Waste Management Project (TA 3848-PHI) Final Report No. 4 (PDF) (Revised ed.). September 2003. pp. 142, 150–152. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  2. Metro Manila Solid Waste Management Project (TA 3848-PHI) Final Report No. 4 (PDF) (Revised ed.). September 2003. pp. 14, 17, 201–207. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  3. Papa, Alcuin (April 9, 2003). "MMDA keeps hands off Navotas landfill issue". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  4. Botial, Jerry (November 17, 2001). "Navotas builds own trash facility". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  5. Esguerra, Christian; Papa, Alcuin; Gaylican, Christine (December 18, 2001). "Mayors huff and puff to beat trash deadline". Philippine Daily Inquirer. p. A24. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  6. Botial, Jerry (February 26, 2006). "Navotas dump open to interested LGUs". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  7. Botial, Jerry (June 12, 2005). "Navotas controlled dump to operate until end-2005". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  8. Botial, Jerry. "MMDA's new landfill in Navotas, not Malabon". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  9. "Project Description - Navotas Sanitary Landfill Facility Additional Tipping Capacity Per Day Project" (PDF). Philippine Ecology Systems Corporation. Retrieved May 1, 2026 – via Environmental Management Bureau (National Capital Region).
  10. Gozum, Iya (April 30, 2026). "Notices of violation issued vs Navotas landfill operator prior to fire". Rappler. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  11. Canlas, Richielyn (April 12, 2026). "Navotas DRRMO clarifies fire-hit landfill not owned by LGU". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  12. Andal, Jonathan (April 14, 2026). "DENR-EMB mulls raps vs ex-operator of Navotas landfill". GMA News. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  13. Baclig, Cristina Eloisa (May 1, 2026). "Navotas landfill fire may leave lasting toxic threat to Manila Bay food chain". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  14. Baltazar, Cecile (April 27, 2026). "Masks urged anew in Metro Manila amid unhealthy air quality from Navotas landfill fire". Philstar Life. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  15. Castro, Pam (May 1, 2026). "Metro Manila landfill fire leaves locals gasping". ABS-CBN News. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  16. Orcio, Francis (April 27, 2026). "Navotas landfill fire enters third week as responders race against toxic threats; Japanese experts join response". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  17. "EMB-NCR Conducts Site Monitoring and Inspection of Navotas Sanitary Landfill". Environmental Management Bureau (National Capital Region). Archived from the original on July 25, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2026.