Banning single-use plastics will help control waste during disasters, Greenpeace Climate Campaigner Jefferson M. Chua said in an interview on July 26.
“The first thing that needs to be done is to create policies for upstream solutions, so this means banning single-use plastics,” he said.
During and after typhoons, the waste management system becomes overwhelmed by the significant increase in litter, Mr Chua said.
“I don’t think anyone has been spared from the increased amounts of waste there and also from the health risks.”
He added that the government is tackling the waste problem from a downstream perspective.
“Ibig sabihin kung sino nagtapon and kung saan tinarapon doon lang pinoproseso. Hindi tinitignan yung actual source of pollution… those are the plastic producers [They only focus on people throwing the trash and where they throw it. They do not focus on the actual source of pollution, which are the plastic producers,”] he said.
In addition to the ban on single-use plastics, many local government units (LGU) are partnering with sari-sari stores are now participating in more sustainable product supply, Mr Chua told BusinessWorld.
“It has been proven to be not only effective in terms of reducing plastic content, but also cost-effective.”
During the five-day cleanup drive held from July 24 to 28 last, 1,099 cubic meters or 90 truckloads of waste was collected by the MMDA Environmental Management Division – Metro Parkways Clearing Group and the LGUs. – Almira Louise S. Martinez