Beyond the New Carmen landfill: a family living on what others leave behind

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 21 July 2026) — To many, a landfill marks the end of a city’s waste. For the Ticar family and many residents in Barangay New Carmen, it is where their livelihood begins. 

For years, the family has operated a junk shop near the New Carmen Sanitary Landfill, purchasing recyclable materials recovered by waste pickers and reselling them to larger recycling facilities. During school breaks, 20-year-old Abby helps manage her aunt’s junk shop, giving her a firsthand view of how changes in landfill operations have reshaped the community that depends on it.

“The landfill is not just part of our lives,” Abby shared. “It is our way of life.”

^{A worker sorts recyclable materials at a junk shop near the New Carmen Sanitary Landfill in Davao City. Photo by DANFORD LOPEZ}

That way of life changed dramatically following the fatal trash slide on May 20, 2026, which claimed two lives, injured two others, and left another person missing. In response, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) suspended operations at the site while safety assessments and engineering interventions were conducted. 

As Davao City continued generating around 700 tons of waste daily, an adjacent sanitary landfill opened on June 16, 2026 to resume disposal operations under stricter safety measures.  But during a visit on July 11, operations at the new landfill had been suspended for several days as repairs had to be done on the lining.

After the trash slide, residents dependent on the landfill for livelihood faced tighter restrictions on access.

Informal waste pickers are no longer allowed inside either landfill. Personnel from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) continuously monitor the area to prevent unauthorized entry and protect individuals from potential hazards within the disposal site.

These measures are consistent with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (Republic Act No. 9003), which governs the operation of sanitary landfills. The law requires controlled waste picking in disposal facilities and prohibits squatting in open dumps and landfills, while local governments are tasked with ensuring safe and regulated solid waste management. 

After the trash slide in May, these provisions have been enforced more strictly to safeguard lives. This is further strengthened through Davao City Ordinance No. 0631-10, which prohibits informal, unregulated scavenging.

For families whose income once depended on scavenging inside the landfill, the restrictions meant adapting to a different way of earning a living.

^{An overloaded pick-up truck delivers bags of trash from downtown DAVAO CITY to the New Carmen landfill. Photo by DANFORD LOPEZ}

Instead of entering the landfill, scavengers now recover recyclable materials from incoming garbage trucks before the waste reaches the disposal area. Plastic bottles, cardboard, scrap metal, and other recyclable materials are collected and sold to nearby junk shops, including those operated by the Ticar family.

According to Abby, despite the operational changes, many scavengers still manage to support their families. On a typical day, they can earn around ₱500, depending on the quantity and quality of recyclable materials they recover.

Even children contribute to the household income by helping collect recyclable materials from parked trucks before selling them to junk shops. For many families, every kilogram of recyclable waste represents another meal on the table.

^{A child pushes a cart carrying items scavenged from nearby garbage trucks near the New Carmen landfill. (Photo by DANFORD LOPEZ)}

Still, not everyone has experienced the same stability.

While opportunities have become more limited, the continued operation of junk shops within the community has helped many families maintain a source of income. But with the new landfill and the LGU’s stricter operations, said income could be drastically different depending on its location. 

Abby explained that one junk shop located near the old landfill had already lost most of its workers.

“A junkshop up there (old landfill) … its workers have already returned to their homes in the mountains because the income was no longer enough.” Abby said.

Another member of the Ticar family who operates a junk shop closer to the old landfill, has observed a decline in business due to the reduced volume of recyclable materials reaching their shop. Fewer recoverable items now make it through the regulated disposal process, leaving smaller junk shops with less to buy and sell. 

Beyond the economic impact, residents also continue to live with the environmental consequences of being neighbors to the landfill.

^{“The landfill is not just part of our lives. It’s our way of life,” Abby says. Photo by DANFORD LOPEZ}

Abby recalled that years ago, rows of trees separated the community from the disposal site, serving as a natural barrier against odor. However, when vegetation was cleared to make way for the new landfill cell, the smell became noticeably stronger, particularly during periods of rainfall.

Despite the unpleasant conditions, leaving is rarely an option.

For generations, the landfill has provided employment, however informal, for families living nearby. It has shaped not only their income but also their daily routines and sense of community. While many residents have learned to adapt to the changing conditions, Abby hopes local government agencies will continue to support communities surrounding the landfill through livelihood assistance, environmental protection, and programs that offer sustainable economic opportunities.

The story of the Ticar family reflects a reality often overlooked in discussions about waste management. 

Behind every garbage truck entering the landfill are people whose lives depend on the materials others discard. 

^{Mixed waste dumped at the new sanitary landfill in Barangay New Carmen, Davao City, adjacent to the old where a trash slide occurred on May 20, 2026. Photo by DANFORD LOPEZ}

As Davao City strengthens its solid waste management system and prioritizes public safety, the challenge remains ensuring that the communities who have long lived alongside the landfill are not left behind in the process.

“I hope they can continue providing aid,” Abby said, “And if possible, could reopen the landfill to the public so that the amount of garbage can be reduced.” (Danford Lopez and Gabrielle Villavicencio / Father Saturnino Urios University, for MindaNews)

[This story was produced during the Climate Impact and Environment Field Reporting Lab on July 10 to 13 in Davao City. It was organized by the Mindanao Institute of Journalism, publisher of MindaNews, under the Media Impact Philippines project. This is also supported by International Media Support (IMS) and co-funded by the European Union and the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA)]