We, the residents, concerned citizens, and environmental advocates, are calling for the urgent review and suspension of the operations and creeping expansion of the sanitary landfill in San Mateo, Rizal.

For decades, host communities in San Mateo have carried a disproportionate burden of Metro Manila’s waste disposal. While the landfill serves an essential function in managing residual waste from the capital region, its continued expansion raises serious concerns on environmental integrity, public health, and long-term sustainability.

We recognize the necessity of proper waste disposal infrastructure. However, expansion of landfill capacity without addressing systemic waste generation, regulatory compliance, and community safeguards is neither sustainable nor just.

We also note that the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-DENR) has recently conducted water testing in the area, with results pending public release. These findings are critical and must be fully disclosed and considered in all decision-making processes moving forward. 

Key Concerns

• Increased exposure of residents to odor pollution, leachate leakage risks, pests, and air emissions
• Potential contamination of surrounding land and water ecosystems
• Structural over-reliance on landfill disposal instead of upstream waste reduction and diversion
• Absence of a clear, publicly available transition plan toward sustainable waste management systems
• Disproportionate environmental burden placed on host communities compared to waste-generating LGUs

We are calling for the following immediate actions:

1. Immediate suspension of landfill operations and expansion activities - Pending an independent, transparent environmental and social impact assessment that is publicly disclosed.
2. Independent multi-sectoral review of operations - To be conducted with participation from LGUs, Affected communities, Environmental and public health experts and Civil society organizations
3. Strict enforcement of solid waste reduction obligations - We call for full compliance with Republic Act No. 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act), including:
   • Mandatory segregation at source (household and commercial)
   • Significant reduction of residual waste entering disposal facilities
   • Full operationalization of Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in all barangays
4. Development and scaling of alternative waste management systems - Government must prioritize investments in:
   • Barangay-level composting systems for biodegradable waste
   • Materials recovery and recycling infrastructure
   • Full implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) under RA 11898
   • Waste-to-resource systems aligned with circular economy principles (excluding harmful incineration-based approaches)
5. Just transition and protection plan for San Mateo communities - Including:
   • Long-term health monitoring and medical support programs
   • Environmental rehabilitation and remediation commitments
   • Livelihood transition programs for affected residents
   • Transparent benefit-sharing mechanisms for host communities

We call for a national shift in waste governance away from landfill dependence toward systemic waste reduction:

• Zero Waste Implementation (RA 9003)
  • Full segregation at source
  • Composting of biodegradable waste
  • Strengthening recycling systems and markets
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Enforcement (RA 11898)
  • Reduction of plastic packaging at source
  • Producer financing of recovery and recycling systems
  • Product redesign for reuse and recyclability
• Waste Reduction Over Disposal Expansion - National targets must prioritize:
  • Waste prevention
  • Reuse systems
  • Circular economy strategies
• Decentralized Waste Management
  • Localized waste processing per municipality
  • Community-based composting and recycling hubs
  • Reduced dependence on external landfill sites

We call on the following agencies to act within their legal mandates:

• Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), to strictly enforce compliance with Presidential Decree No. 1586 (Environmental Impact Statement System) and ensure that any landfill expansion or operational increase has a valid, updated Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) supported by transparent public review.
• National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) under Republic Act No. 9003, to evaluate whether continued landfill expansion is consistent with national policy prioritizing waste reduction, segregation, and diversion over disposal.
• Municipality of San Mateo and Province of Rizal, under Republic Act No. 7160 (Local Government Code) and RA 9003, to uphold their duty to protect public health, ecological balance, and community welfare.
• Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Metro Manila LGUs, to fulfill their legal obligation under RA 9003 to reduce waste generation at source and avoid externalizing disposal burdens to host communities.

San Mateo should not continue to absorb the environmental and public health costs of Metro Manila’s waste system without a just, science-based, and sustainable transition.

We urge immediate action toward systemic reform, regulatory enforcement, and equitable waste governance.

We call on the public to sign this petition and demand a just, transparent, and sustainable waste management system for all communities.