TOXIC ZONE In this photo released by Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco, smoke rises from the city’s landfill on May 5, about a month after a fire on April 10 spread in more than half of its estimated 41-hectare area. —JOHN REY TIANGCO/FACEBOOK
(First of two parts)
MANILA, Philippines — It took 30 days for the April 10 fire at the Navotas landfill to be extinguished, but experts warn that dangerous pollutants released into Metro Manila’s air could persist in the environment for decades, posing long-term health risks.
The blaze which spanned more than half of the landfill’s estimated 41-hectare area also exposed broader weaknesses in the country’s waste management system, they said.
Article continues after this advertisement
