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DENR Says Davao Landfill Had Prior Violations Before Deadly Trash Collapse
Photo credit: Davao City Information Office via PNA
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the Davao City Sanitary Landfill had already been flagged for several environmental and safety violations months before a deadly trash slide struck the facility this week.
The incident happened on Wednesday, May 20, in Barangay New Carmen, where a portion of the landfill reportedly collapsed after days of heavy rainfall. The accident left one person dead, two injured, and two others still missing.
Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said the tragedy underscored the urgent need to fast-track long-delayed corrective measures at the landfill site.
“Every life lost is unacceptable,” Cuna said, adding that the DENR and the local government had already been coordinating for months on technical and regulatory concerns involving the facility.
According to the DENR, the collapse occurred around 1:10 p.m. in the landfill’s active dumping area after continuous rains allegedly caused water to build up underneath the garbage mound, weakening the ground and triggering a massive waste slide.
The moving pile of trash reportedly buried nearby homes and structures close to the landfill perimeter.
Rescue teams from the Bureau of Fire Protection, 911 Urban Search and Rescue, the City Engineer’s Office, and barangay responders were immediately deployed, but unstable ground conditions forced authorities to limit access to the area for safety reasons.
The City Engineer’s Office later declared the site unsafe for full operations, prompting a temporary suspension of waste disposal activities while technical experts assessed the extent of the collapse.
The DENR revealed that inspection records showed the landfill had been under close monitoring since January. Environmental officials reportedly held technical meetings with the Davao City government in January and March before issuing a Notice of Violation on March 19.
Among the violations cited were operating without a discharge permit, failure to meet effluent standards, and maintaining an inadequate leachate treatment system.
Inspectors also documented steep and unstable slopes, a collapsed leachate pond, and the presence of informal settlers and waste pickers living dangerously close to the landfill.
These findings led the DENR to recommend slope stabilization measures, partial closure of some landfill sections, and the relocation of families living within the 200-meter danger zone.
A technical conference held on April 29 reportedly resulted in the Davao City government committing to settle penalties and submit a pollution control program.
The DENR said the landfill currently handles around 786 tons of waste daily and is already nearing full capacity.
Authorities also noted that construction of a nearby landfill expansion project is now more than halfway complete, while part of the city’s waste is currently being diverted through a co-processing arrangement with Holcim subsidiary Geocycle.
Cuna warned that landfill operations may remain suspended until authorities can confirm that the area is safe and compliant with environmental standards.
He said the government remains committed to making Davao City’s waste facilities safer, more resilient, and fully compliant with environmental regulations.
The incident happened on Wednesday, May 20, in Barangay New Carmen, where a portion of the landfill reportedly collapsed after days of heavy rainfall. The accident left one person dead, two injured, and two others still missing.
Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said the tragedy underscored the urgent need to fast-track long-delayed corrective measures at the landfill site.
“Every life lost is unacceptable,” Cuna said, adding that the DENR and the local government had already been coordinating for months on technical and regulatory concerns involving the facility.
According to the DENR, the collapse occurred around 1:10 p.m. in the landfill’s active dumping area after continuous rains allegedly caused water to build up underneath the garbage mound, weakening the ground and triggering a massive waste slide.
The moving pile of trash reportedly buried nearby homes and structures close to the landfill perimeter.
Rescue teams from the Bureau of Fire Protection, 911 Urban Search and Rescue, the City Engineer’s Office, and barangay responders were immediately deployed, but unstable ground conditions forced authorities to limit access to the area for safety reasons.
The City Engineer’s Office later declared the site unsafe for full operations, prompting a temporary suspension of waste disposal activities while technical experts assessed the extent of the collapse.
The DENR revealed that inspection records showed the landfill had been under close monitoring since January. Environmental officials reportedly held technical meetings with the Davao City government in January and March before issuing a Notice of Violation on March 19.
Among the violations cited were operating without a discharge permit, failure to meet effluent standards, and maintaining an inadequate leachate treatment system.
Inspectors also documented steep and unstable slopes, a collapsed leachate pond, and the presence of informal settlers and waste pickers living dangerously close to the landfill.
These findings led the DENR to recommend slope stabilization measures, partial closure of some landfill sections, and the relocation of families living within the 200-meter danger zone.
A technical conference held on April 29 reportedly resulted in the Davao City government committing to settle penalties and submit a pollution control program.
The DENR said the landfill currently handles around 786 tons of waste daily and is already nearing full capacity.
Authorities also noted that construction of a nearby landfill expansion project is now more than halfway complete, while part of the city’s waste is currently being diverted through a co-processing arrangement with Holcim subsidiary Geocycle.
Cuna warned that landfill operations may remain suspended until authorities can confirm that the area is safe and compliant with environmental standards.
He said the government remains committed to making Davao City’s waste facilities safer, more resilient, and fully compliant with environmental regulations.
May 22, 2026
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