Republic Act 9003
–The Ecological Solid Waste
Management of 2000
An Act providing for an ecological
solid waste management program,
creating the necessary institutional
mechanisms, declaring certain
prohibited acts.
Was passed by the Congress and
Senate on December 2000. Signed
by the President on January 26,
2001.
Objectives of the Law:
-measures to promote a more
acceptable system which
corresponds to the vision of
sustainable development.
- aims to merge environmental
protection with economic pursuits,
recognizing the re-orientation of the
community’s view on solid waste,
thereby providing schemes for
waste minimization, volume
reduction, resource recovery
utilization and disposal.
Under RA 9003, solid waste shall
not include:
1. Waste identified or listed as
hazardous waste (either solid,
liquid, gaseous or in semisolid
form) which may cause or
contribute to death, serious or
incapacitating illness, or acute/
chronic effect on the health of
persons and other organisms;
2. Infectious waste from hospitals
such as:
a) Equipment, instruments, utensils
and disposable fomites (things that
may carry infectious organisms
such as used gauze, surgical gloves,
syringes) from patients suspected to
have or have been diagnosed as
having communicable diseases;
b) Laboratory wastes such as
pathological specimens (i.e., all
tissues, specimens of blood
elements, excreta, and secretions
obtained from patients or laboratory
animals) and disposable fomites that
may harbor or transmit pathogenic
organisms;
Composed of 14 members from the
government sector and three
members from the private sector.
Role of the DENR as the Lead
1. DENR;
Agency :
2.Department of Interior and Local
- Provide technical and other
Government (DILG);
capability building assistance and
3.Department of Science and support to LGUs.
Technology (DOST);
- Recommend policies to eliminate
4. Department of Public Works and barriers to waste reduction
Highways (DPWH); programs.
5. Department of Health (DOH); - Issue rules and regulations.
6. Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI);
Prohibited acts and Penalties (Sec
7. Department of Agriculture (DA); 48 and 49)
8. Metro Manila Development The fines and penalties depend on
Authority (MMDA); the Prohibited Acts that is
committed. It ranges from P300.00
9. League of Provincial Governors;
to P1,000,000.00 and/or
10. League of City Mayors; imprisonment of 1 day to 6 years.
11. League of Municipal Mayors; Kind of Cases may be Filled:
12. Association of Barangay 1.Civil
Councils;
2.Criminal
13. Technical Education and Skills
3.Administrative
Development Authority
(TESDA); and
RA 9003 provides that no case or
14. Philippine Information Agency
suit can be filed until after a public
(PIA).
officer or alleged violator has been
given a 30-day notice during which
no appropriate action has been taken
by the alleged offender.
The law provides that the fine and/or
penalty shall be imposed UPON
CONVICTION.
The requirement of conviction
means that a case has to be filed in
court against a person who commits
a prohibited act and judgment has to
be rendered by the court finding the
person guilty of committing the
prohibited act.
Criteria for Siting a Sanitary
Landfill
(a) The site selected must be
consistent with the overall land use
plan of the LGU;
(b) The site must be accessible from
major roadways or thoroughfares;
(c) The site should have an adequate
quantity of earth cover material that
is easily handled and compacted;
(d) The site must be chosen with
regard for the sensitivities of the
community's residents;
(e) The site must be located in an
area where the landfill's operation
will not detrimentally affect
environmentally sensitive resources
such as aquifer, groundwater
reservoir or watershed area;
(f) The site should be large enough
to accommodate the community's
wastes for a period of five (5) years
during which people must
internalize the value of
environmentally sound and
sustainable solid waste disposal;
(g) The site chosen should facilitate
developing a landfill that will satisfy
budgetary constraints, including site
development, operation for many
years, closure, post-closure care and
possible remediation costs;
(h) Operating plans must include
provisions for coordinating with
recycling and resource recovery
projects; and
(i) Designation of a separate
containment area for household
hazardous wastes.
person, including LGUs, which
constitutes the use of open dumps
for solid wastes, be allowed after the
effectivity of this Acts: Provided,
That within three (3) years after the
effectivity of this Act, every LGU
shall convert its open dumps into
controlled dumps

Section 21. Mandatory Segregation

of Solid Waste

The LGUs shall evaluate alternative Miscellaneous Provisions

roles for the public and private
sectors in providing collection
1. Aim to develop public awareness
services, type of collection system,
of the ill-effects of and the
or combination of systems, that best
community based solution on solid
meet their needs: Provided, That
waste management.
segregation of wastes shall
primarily be conducted at the
source, to include household,
2. Concentrate on activities which
institutional, industrial, commercial
are feasible and which will have the
and agricultural sources
greatest impact on solid waste
problem on the country, like
resource conservation and recovery,
Section 37. Prohibition Against the
recycling, segregation at source, re-
Use of Open Dumps for Solid Waste
use, reduction, and composting of
solid waste.
No open dumps shall be established
and operated, nor any practice or
3.Encourage the general public,
disposal of solid waste by any
accredited NGO’s and people’s
organization to publicity endorse
and patronize environmentally
acceptable products and packaging
materials.