Like in the previous New Year revelry, the environment suffered another pummeling as heaps of unsightly garbage were left behind all over the surroundings particularly in public places where the merrymakings occurred.
The environmental group EcoWaste Coalition described the situation as extremely alarming especially with the effects of climate change.
What makes the situation more precarious according to EcoWaste Coalition is the report of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) which showed that Quezon City as the number one in garbage production in the metropolis generating 3,610 tons per day, followed by Manila and Caloocan City at 1,175 and 913 tons per day, respectively.
Based on MMDA records, EcoWaste Coalition said Metro Manila produces 9,872 tons of garbage every day, constituting close to 25 percent of the national daily waste production at 40,000 tons.
With this continuous abuse of the ecosystem, the Quezon City-based group warned that this will result in more adverse consequences as nature continues to degenerate at a fast pace.
The EcoWaste Coalition noted the unsightly and stinking trash was left on the streets, sidewalks, parks, market areas and almost everywhere following the bright and boisterous countdown to 2019 and the customary media noche feasts.
“It’s really great to see families happily celebrating the New Year. But what makes this beautiful tradition ugly is our penchant to consume and throw a lot of things as can be seen from the overflowing bins to the garbage piles dotting our neighborhoods following the revelry,” said Daniel Alejandre, zero-waste campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.
“Many of our communities, especially in thickly populated areas, are drowning in post-revelry garbage on the first day of January, which, incidentally, is observed as ‘Zero Waste Month.’ In some places, it may take a few days for haulers to clear streets of mini-dumps. We need to stop trashing our communities,” he added.
Based on the monitoring conducted yesterday by the group’s Basura Patrollers, the streets surrounding bargain hubs and market places were found to be filthiest with trash strewn in wide areas.
“We found mixed wastes dumped in our cities’ streets, including food leftovers, product packaging, plastics and hazardous residuals from firecrackers and fireworks,” Alejandre said.
As expected, the group witnessed widespread dumping at the Balintawak market in Quezon City, along Recto Avenue and adjacent streets in Divisoria, Manila City, at Monumento, Caloocan City, and around the Marikina City Public Market.
The group noted crass consumerism and poor waste segregation contribute to the huge amounts of garbage requiring disposal after the holidays.
“While we demand that manufacturers embrace clean production and extended producer responsibility, we as consumers need to consume responsibly, choose products in least packaging, and ditch single-use plastics altogether. We should also properly sort our discards to facilitate their reuse, recycling or composting,” Alejandre pointed out.
As the “Zero Waste Month” is commemorated, the EcoWaste Coalition renewed its appeal to all waste generators — from households, institutions to businesses and industries — to commit to proven waste prevention and reduction practices as embodied in Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
“By actively enforcing the provisions of R.A. 9003, we can dramatically cut the volume of Metro Manila’s garbage that is disposed of at landfills located in Navotas City, and in Rodriguez and San Mateo, Rizal, as well as avoid waste materials from spilling into the seas and oceans,” Alejandre noted.
R.A. 9003 requires “the formulation and adoption of the best environmental practices in ecological waste management excluding incineration,” such as waste separation at source, reuse, recycling and composting. (Chito Chavez)