This developed as the city council unanimously voted for an isolated lot, which is located at the outskirts of the city in Barangay Santo Tomas Apugan as the site of the city’s landfill.

In deciding on the matter, the city’s legislators anchored their decision on the recommendation of the technical working group and the city solid waste management board that the Santo Tomas site is the most advantageous among the five proposed sites.

The area, which is at least 3 hectares, has the highest acceptability rating among the five sites as per evaluation conducted by the technical working group.

The group’s assessment report stated that the solid waste management board had picked the Santo Tomas site as the most advantageous because it is located in the city and would require the least development cost at P61 million.

After the identification of the site as its permanent sanitary landfill disposal area, the city government will conduct a survey on social acceptability, which is required by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

After the social acceptability is secured, a full-blown feasibility study on the site would be conducted. The results of the study would support the city’s application for an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) with the DENR.

The cost-analysis study showed the Santo Tomas site would require a total cost of P61 million, while the Palali site in Sablan town would need P77 million.

The Poyopoy site in Tuba, Benguet would need P147 million for its development into a sanitary landfill. The Virac site in Itogon, Benguet would require funding of P164 million, while the "open pit" site being offered by Benguet Corp. in Antamok, Itogon, would need P186 million.

The city government was prompted to identify its permanent sanitary landfill site after the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) issued an ultimatum for the city government to comply immediately with Republic Act (RA) 9184 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.