A sanitary landfill operating in Porac town on Monday showcased its sanitary protocols to ensure cleanliness, environmental safety, and odor control.
The Eco Protect Management Corporation (EPMC), which began operations in 2022, manages a 15-hectare Category 4 landfill located between the villages of Mancatian and Mitla.
Situated approximately one kilometer from the nearest residential area, the facility currently processes an estimated 1,000 tons of residual waste daily from around 220 trucks.
The landfill serves 86 local government units and private clients in Pampanga, Bataan, and Bulacan and other parts of Central Luzon.
Engineer Perry Bonzon, EPMC operations manager, said the facility adheres to standard practices to ensure that its operations comply with environment regulations.
These include routine inspections of incoming trucks to verify that only residual waste is accepted.
“We cannot cater to hospital or hazardous waste yet, so we have to ensure that only residual wastes enter the landfill,” Bonzon said.
He added that waste accepted by EPMC goes into an eight-meter-deep pit, immediately sprayed with enzyme solution, and covered with six inches of soil once it reaches the designated depth.
“Pagka-dump ng basura, nag-spray agad ng enzyme solution para maiwasan ‘yung pag-amoy at para mapabilis ang decomposition. We spend around P450,000 per month for the enzyme solution alone,” he added.
To prevent the spread of odor and contamination outside the facility, trucks are sanitized before exiting the premises.
Bonzon, however, noted that EPMC has no control over how LGUs handle and transport waste before arriving at the landfill.
He also disclosed that the company holds government permits, including an Environmental Compliance Certificate, a Waste Water Discharge Permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and a Mayor’s Permit issued by the local government.
Bonzon said the landfill’s location on flat, lahar-rich terrain provides natural advantages such as erosion resistance and lower risk of landslides.
“Because of the weather and the location, wala po kaming masyadong nakukuhang leachate dahil mainit pa ‘yung lahar sa ibaba at mainit pa rin ‘yung soil sa taas kaya mabilis magdecompose ‘yung waste sa pit natin,” he said.