Developer leads drive for mercury-free Makati

MANILA, Philippines - The developer of the Zuellig building, the first building in the country that has been awarded by the US Green Building Council for being environment-friendly in its construction, is leading an effort to collect and safely dispose of mercury in Makati City, especially at the city’s business district.

 “We want to be part of making Makati clean and green. We are now leading a mercury-free drive to safely collect and dispose of mercury,” said Daniel Zuellig, director of developer Bridgebury Realty Corp.

Zuellig said the public needs to be educated on the hidden dangers of mercury, which is contained in ordinary light bulbs and batteries that are regularly thrown with ordinary garbage. Exposure to mercury, Zuellig said, has been known to cause tremors, respiratory problems, and impaired vision and hearing.   

Zuellig said the public may drop old light bulbs and batteries at special collection bins at the Makati City Hall, the Zuellig building and at the Urdaneta village office. Collected light bulbs, Zuellig said, are then disposed of using a “bulb eater” that safely filters out the mercury. The glass from the bulbs is then recycled. According to Zuellig, there are only eight “bulb eaters” in the country and each costs P300,000.

According to Zuellig, since the start of the drive last month, around 1.5 tons of light bulbs and batteries containing mercury have been collected and safely disposed. Among the early depositors were office buildings and hotels in Barangay Urdaneta.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay lauded the developer of the Zuellig building for its drive to collect mercury.

“The safety of the community and betterment of the environment are top priorities for the city of Makati. We are proud to be part of yet another project, mercury-free Makati, that involves not only the collection of hazardous waste, but the education of the public,” he said.

Located at the corner of Makati Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, the 33-story Zuellig office building, which is scheduled for occupancy in February 2012, boasts of a double-paned, low-emissivity glass system that minimizes solar heat gain while maximizing natural light penetration. The building also boasts of a water conservation system, carbon dioxide sensors and a centralized paper recycling facility that is available to all tenants.