Rizal landfill operator suspended after deadly trash slide

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February 24, 2026 | 7:17pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has ordered Green Leap Solid Waste Management Inc. to suspend operations following a trash slide that left three people missing, one of whom has been confirmed dead.

In a statement on Tuesday, February 24, the DENR said it had issued a cease-and-desist order against Green Leap, which operates the sanitary landfill in Sitio Lukutan Munti, Barangay San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal. The order covers six hectares in Phase 5 of the site.

The deadly landslide occurred on February 20, causing 420,000 cubic meters of waste to slide from the tipping area and bury three pieces of heavy equipment, according to findings by the DENR Environmental Management Bureau Calabarzon.

During its site inspection on February 23, investigators also found "several operational lapses," including a "foul odor from exposed waste" and visible cracks in nearby trash piles. 

"Multiple violations of conditions in the proponent’s Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) were also documented," the DENR said. 

Emergency work allowed

While Phase 5 landfill operations are suspended, Green Leap is still required to carry out emergency activities, including search and rescue, slope stabilization, debris removal, and the installation of engineering controls to prevent further erosion.

"Our priority is to ensure the immediate stabilization of the site to prevent further environmental degradation and to hold the proponent strictly accountable for these operational lapses. We will not tolerate negligence that puts the environment and public safety at risk," DENR Calabarzon Regional Executive Director Nilo Tamoria said. 

Unauthorized individuals have also been strictly prohibited from entering the area of the trash slide, which the DENR said is necessary to "protect the public and prevent interference with rescue and rehabilitation efforts."

Green Leap has also been ordered to submit a report detailing the incident and its response, and to present corrective actions at the technical conference scheduled for February 25.

The DENR warned that failure to attend will be considered a waiver of the company's right to be heard, after which the agency will immediately pursue appropriate legal action.

Second landfill slide in 2 months

The Rizal landfill collapse is the second major solid-waste landslide in two months, after a January incident in Cebu City that reportedly killed 36 and injured 18.

The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives filed a resolution on Tuesday calling on Congress to probe the Rizal landslide, review the enforcement of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, and adopt measures to ensure accountability that safeguards residents, waste workers and the environment.