OBANDO, BULACAN — Environmental authorities have launched an urgent investigation into the air and water quality of island communities in Bulacan after a persistent fire at the nearby Navotas sanitary landfill blanketed the area in hazardous smoke.
On Tuesday, personnel from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Central Luzon arrived in the village of Salambao to conduct sampling. The move comes after Obando Mayor Leonardo Valeda raised alarms regarding the potential health risks posed by the toxic emissions.
The fire, which broke out last Friday night, has caused significant disruption to the daily lives of those living less than a kilometer away from the facility.
- Evacuations: At least 335 residents (111 families) from Salambao were forced to flee their homes on Saturday, seeking shelter at the Obando National High School and the municipal evacuation center.
- Protective Gear: The local government has distributed over 3,000 N95 masks to residents in Salambao and the neighboring island village of Binuangan.
- Scope of Smoke: While Salambao is the most affected, shifting wind directions have pushed smoke toward the villages of San Pascual, Tawiran, and Paco.
Experts believe the heavy smoke is being fueled by methane gas trapped within the layers of the burning landfill. Methane is highly flammable and, when combined with burning waste, can release a cocktail of toxic chemicals into the atmosphere.
- EMB Monitoring: The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) is currently analyzing the samples to determine the levels of particulate matter and possible chemical contaminants in the air and the surrounding waters.
- Medical Aid: The Navotas local government has reportedly collaborated with Obando officials to provide food supplies and has pledged medical assistance for affected residents.
As of Tuesday, reports from the Obando Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) indicated that the landfill was still emitting smoke, four days after the initial blaze.
Mayor Valeda emphasized that the findings from the DENR-EMB study will be the deciding factor in the town’s next steps, including whether to allow evacuees to return home or to implement further health protocols. For the islanders of Salambao, the “blue skies” usually associated with the April heat have been replaced by a grey, stinging haze that serves as a grim reminder of their proximity to the city’s waste.