In accordance with R.A. 9003 otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, all local government units (LGUs) are obligated to identify and acquire/allocate/reserve land areas for municipal solid waste disposal facilities. Said environmental law also provides that the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) together with its various Regional Offices all over the country are mandated to extend technical assistance to these LGUs in the evaluation and assessment of the technical viability and geological suitability of certain land properties identified or proposed by LGUs as potential sites for municipal solid waste disposal facilities. 

In line with the comprehensive solid waste management program based on the provisions of Republic Act 9003, the municipality of Lemery, Batangas requested the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Calabarzon Regional Office to conduct a geological assessment of two of the municipality’s proposed sites allotted for sanitary landfills. 

The proposed two (2) sites for sanitary landfill are located in Barangay Dita, Lemery, Batangas.  Barangay Dita is approximately 5.0-5.2 aerial kilometers N-NW of the town proper of Lemery.  Aerial distance between the two (2) proposed sites is about 700 meters.  Site A has an aggregate areas of six (6) hectares consisting of two (2) parcels of land owned by Rafael Noble (2.9 hectares) and Francisca Katigbak (3.1 hectares).  Site B has an area of five (5) hectares.

Sites A and B are underlain by Pleistocene-dated Taal Tuff.  No major geologic structure can be found within and in the immediate vicinity of the proposed sites. However, the active Lubang Fault is found about 35 kilometers south of the proposed sites. Both sites are accessible from the town of Lemery through an existing barangay road.  The two (2) proposed sites have moderately rugged topography with an elevation that ranges from 143 to 176 meters above sea level (masl). 

The nearest drainage system to the proposed landfill sites is the southerly-flowing Lagnas River and its tributaries .  Soil cover in the area is very thin to nil.  The two proposed project sites are far from residential neighborhood or barangay proper of Barangay Dita.  Barangay Dita proper is located about one and two aerial kilometers south-southeast of Area 2 and Area 1, respectively. However, there are few houses of tenants that can be found near the proposed sites.

Site A is agriculturally idle and has secondary growth trees as its vegetation, while Site B is planted to root crops, coconut trees, palay and bananas.

Based on the parameters used in the evaluation of the two proposed areas in Barangay Dita, Lemery, Batangas for the establishment of a Category 2 sanitary landfill for the municipality of Lemery, both areas were found by MGB Calabarzon Region to be qualified for the proposed project. The geologic factors in both areas met the criterion for the selection of suitable landfill site. 

The underlying host rock tuff can be considered as permeable and porous. The presence of a tuffaceous shale layers in the rock formation will inhibit the over-all permeability of the tuff.  Tuff could pose possible leachate contamination of the groundwater and gas migration problems. These perceived problems, however, could be addressed by covering the actual controlled dumpsite area with clay layer to act as impervious liner to minimize if not totally prevent infiltration of leachate;

Road widening and improvement of the existing access road to the proposed site should be one of the priorities of the municipal government to accommodate the projected garbage truck traffic.   This road expansion should consider the weight of the hauling trucks that will ply the site for the entire duration of the waste disposal system. The road must have an adequate width, slope, visibility and construction for easy access to the site. There must be provision for the maintenance of the all-weathered road.