Solid waste collection event to push year-round recycling

To promote year-round recycling, segregation and reduction of solid waste, and materials recovery, as well as their benefits, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will launch its Recyclables Collection Event on June 17 at the Ayala Center-Cebu grounds in line with the agency's celebration of the Environment Month.

The recyclables collection event (RCE) is a series of one-day collection or buying events for recyclable materials.

Collecting and recycling used materials is still the cheapest and most effective way of solid waste management, DENR regional training director Isabelo Montejo said.

He also said that used papers, scrap glasses, used tires and other solid wastes could be collected and sold for a certain amount. He cited his own experience when his wife earned more than a thousand pesos for just selling plastic bottles of purified water, old newspapers, and other materials which are wastes at home.

At the DENR-7 office, he added, that they are now implementing a measure that would reduce the bulk of garbage.

Trashcans were no longer placed under each employee's table. Instead, a small wastebasket takes its place, in each office, to discourage employees from throwing away used pieces of paper.

Employees were told to instead collect these, while the janitors of the office, in turn, would collect the bundles of collected used papers and sell the item to certain buying stations.

Montejo said that recycling is still the most cost-effective measure to address the garbage problem. Recycling, he said, "is good for the environment, is clean, and money generating."

"It's a matter of discipline in the offices and homes," Montejo stressed.

Materials that could be sold for cash at the RCE would include used papers and cartons, scrap glasses, used tires, aluminum cans, used lead batteries, junk electronics or electrical equipment, used printed ink and toner cartridges, used oil, used bottles and other plastics. These would be weighed, tallied and bought at the designated drop-off areas and buying stations.

DENR Secretary Angelo Reyes will deliver the rationale of the activity and the inspirational message during the event.

The DENR is pursuing RCE to promote recovery and recycling as option in addressing the waste problem, promote economic benefits of recycling, encourage more participation of industrial waste generators, industry and business establishments, local government units and government agencies in work recycling; and generate more private sector investments in the recycling industry. - Noreen B. Napoles