Development and application of a rapid risk assessment tool (RRAT) for rehabilitation of disposal sites: Case study of Province of Aklan, Philippines

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4. Development and application of a rapid risk assessment tool (RRAT) for rehabilitation of disposal sites: Case study of Province of Aklan, Philippines

Open dumpsite is the most common type of disposal site for municipal solid wastes (MSW) in lower-middle and low-income countries because of its low cost and maintenance characteristics. However, this option causes severe environmental issues. As of 2021, all the open dumpsites in the Philippines were closed following the provisions of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (RA 9003). This study aims to develop and apply a rapid risk assessment tool (RRAT) for rehabilitation of dumpsites and landfills in the Philippines. The risk attributes included in the tool were selected based on literature, policies, and consultation with experts. The attributes were categorized into main criteria: accessibility, socio-economic, environmental, characteristic of waste at the disposal site, and hydrogeological and geological conditions. Using the pairwise comparison method, the 28 attributes were ranked to determine their corresponding weightages. Each attribute was measured in terms of their corresponding sensitivity index to compute the total dumpsite Risk Index (RI), which ranges from 0 to 1000. The RRAT developed aims to classify a disposal site, and determine its risk index (RI) and hazard potential. The highest attribute that was ranked by the experts was proximity to perennial surface water; while the lowest attribute was artificial depth of filling. The tool was initially applied in two disposal sites in Aklan Province Banga Controlled Dumpsite and Malay Sanitary landfill. They obtained risk indices of 370 (low) and 199 (very low), respectively. The results of the assessment were used to validate the tool and determine the recommended actions for the disposal sites investigated.

9th International Congress on Environmental Geotechnics (ICEG2023)

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