VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — The city’s sanitary landfill in Barangay Barobo has officially reached its limit for residual waste, prompting local officials to expedite the construction of a second disposal cell to avoid a garbage crisis.
The City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) reported on February 23, 2026, that the facility is struggling under the weight of an ever-increasing volume of daily garbage.
Key Issues:
- Overloaded Facility: Cell 1, which covers 5,000 square meters and is eight meters deep, is now overloaded. The landfill has been in operation since 2017.
- Rising Waste Volume: Driven by population growth and urban development, the city now collects approximately 30 tons of residual waste daily, totaling roughly 11,000 tons per year.
- Equipment Failure: Four mechanized waste-processing machines have broken down. These machines were critical for turning recyclables into bricks and granulating market waste, and their failure has significantly worsened the backlog.
- Hazardous Waste: While residual waste is at capacity, CENRO head Julius Parian noted that hospital hazardous waste continues to be managed separately through dedicated septic vaults.
Future Plans:
With the current solid waste management plan set to expire in 2027, the city government is preparing to:
- Conduct a Waste Analysis and Characterization Study (WACS) to guide new disposal strategies.
- Fast-track Cell 2 construction to ensure there are no disruptions in garbage collection services.
- Intensify public education on waste segregation to reduce the volume of trash entering the landfill.
The facility operates in compliance with Republic Act No. 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000), which requires the use of sanitary landfills over open dumpsites.