MANILA — The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday said it has collected up to 20 tons of campaign materials since election day, just as it urged all candidates to help clean up the potential environment hazard.
Romando Artes, chairman of the MMDA, said that they would turn over the collected posters to Ecowaste Coalition. Ecowaste Coalition upcycles thick tarpaulins to eco-bags.
He explained that the thinner ones would then be shredded for the MMDA’s green brick project.
“Napakarami po talaga ng mga campaign materials na nakukuha natin… Sa isang araw po siguro nakaka-18 to 20 tons po tayo ng campaign paraphernalia,” said Artes in a televised briefing.
(We have collected a lot campaign materials. We have collected 18 to 20 tons of campaign paraphernalia in one day.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), asked both winning and lost candidates to clean up campaign materials during this week. They stated that local government units should ensure proper disposal in accordance with environmental laws.
The statement stated, “Campaign propaganda made of plastics or other non-biodegradable material, if improperlydisposed of, could have detrimental effects on the public health and environment.”
“We have done our part in exercising the right to vote. Let’s continue to participate in governance through our simple ways of cleaning up our neighborhood from election litter,” said Interior Secretary Eduardo Ao.
ENVIRONMENTAL RISK
Some campaign paraphernalia can be made of polyvinylchloride or PVC plastics. An Analysis Greenpeace USA had called PVC the “most environmentally harmful of all plastics” and that recycling it would not be possible due to the harms caused by its additives.
The Ecowaste Coalition encouraged the public to limit the use of tarpaulins in non-food and non child uses, because some materials have hazardous content.
These include cadmium as well as phthalates which, according to the environment group, “may leach into the food and contaminate it or expose children and their children to chemical risk.”
“To make it easier to reuse or repurpose campaign materials, the group reiterated their plea to ban the use of cadmium and phthalates in plastics and for authorities to require that recyclable, non-toxic materials be used in future elections.”
ABS-CBN News has extensively discussed the dangers associated with some upcycling methods Here.
Artes stated that campaign materials should not be left behind before they become a problem in the environment.
“Tayo ay nananawagan na rin po sa ating mga kandidato whether or not nanalo or natalo na tumulong po sa pagbabaklas nitong mga campaign materials na ito para sa gayon ito po ay hindi kumalat at eventually mauwi sa mga kanals o sa mga esteros na pagmumulan o magiging sanhi ng pagbaha pagdating ng tag-ulan,” he said.
(We are asking our candidates, whether they won or not to, to help remove these campaign materials from waterways that could cause flooding.
A study from last year found that the Philippines is the most prolific plastic polluter in the oceans. It contributes more than a third to the world’s plastic waste. This surpasses even economic giants like India and China.
Seven of the 10 major polluting river systems were found in the Philippines, with Pasig River being the largest source of plastic pollution.
A study by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives has shown that Filipinos use an average 48 million plastic bags each day. That’s 17.5 billion pieces annually.
