Public urged to observe trash-free Undas

MANILA, Philippines — An environmental watchdog urged the public to observe an eco-friendly and garbage-free observance of the All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days. 

EcoWaste Coalition stressed Thursday the importance of being good stewards of the environment while respecting the departed souls of their loved ones. 

“We continue to remind the general public to honor the dead by not leaving their trash inside the cemeteries. A waste free celebration of Undas is requisite in honoring the final resting place of our deceased loved ones,” said Ochie Tolentino, zero waste campaigner of EcoWaste Coalition. 

The group proposed a set of guidelines aimed at promoting a waste-free Undas:

• Choose lead-free candles to avoid black fumes and soot
• Offer fresh flowers, not plastic ones, or bring potted plants and flowers instead
• Bring a personal water jug to avoid purchasing bottled water
• Use reusable containers and utensils such as lunch boxes and thermos, cloth napkins and silverware
• Buy and bring food and beverages that can be consumed to avoid spoilage. Bring ‘bayong’ or other reusable bags, and refuse plastic bags and wrappers from vendors
• Purchase products with the least amount of packaging and avoiding single-use plastic containers
• Do not litter, drump, or burn trash in the cemetery
• Do not throw cigarette butts, candy wrappers, discarded packaging, fruit peels, and the link on the ground 
• Put discards into recycling bins if available
• Keep urinals or toilet bowls clean as a courtesy to the next user. Do not fedecate or urinate in public places
• Refrain from smoking in the cemetery 

EcoWaste Coalition pointed out that observing cemetery etiquettes will reduce the volume of waste accumulated. It noted that 78 truckloads or 196 metric tons of garbage were collected from Manila North and South Cemeteries in 2022. 

“Celebrating an eco-friendly and trash-free Undas is important since garbage from the clean-up of tombs adds to the huge amounts of rubbish hauled from gravesites before and especially after Undas,” Tolentino said.