Waste for rice program launched

STA. BARBARA, Pangasinan ,Philippines  – A novel project that encourages residents to exchange one kilo of plastic waste not bought by junkshop operators, like candy wrappers and sando bags, for one kilo of rice is being implemented by the municipal government here.

Municipal administrator Wilfredo Pamoceno told The STAR that the project, “Sakey kilon basuran plastic, sakey kilon belas parad pamilyak, mansansyan malinis su baley ko (A kilo of plastic wastes, a kilo of rice for my family, my town will stay clean),” is being piloted in nine barangays.

Mayor Carlito Zaplan has created teams that go around three times a week to barangays Tuliao, Ventenilla, Poblacion Sur, Poblacion Norte, Sapang, Marunong, Maningding, Banaoang and Carusocan.

Residents bring their plastic waste like candy wrappers, sando bags where goods bought in the market are normally placed, junk food containers, shampoo/conditioner sachets, empty tetra packs of juice, and others that are not bought by junkshop workers and exchange these for rice in barangay halls on scheduled days.

Since its launching, the municipal government has dispensed 20 cavans of National Food Authority rice fortified with iron which is being promoted by the national government, Pamoceno said.

The project targets two main objectives – to prevent clogging of canals and other waterways and to prevent burning of these wastes by the residents, he said.

If the program is successful, it will be expanded to all the other 20 barangays.

Pamoceno said the town’s ordinance banning the use of plastic bags in public markets has been approved by the provincial board led by Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Calimlim Jr. and is now being implemented.

Children also follow the “Basura Mo, Ibulsa Mo (Pocket your trash)” program where kids are trained not to indiscriminately throw their garbage.

Schools can exchange their plastic garbage for rice for their feeding program or may get the cash equivalent for their other projects.

The municipal government is training groups for livelihood by making water lily bags and other containers which people can use instead of plastic bags when buying in the market.

The volume of plastic garbage collected is gathered temporarily in a lot owned by the mayor until the right technology comes for their re-use as something else, Pamoceno added.

Based on their data, five kilograms of solid waste is generated in every household here and three percent of this is composed of plastic.