My Asawa and I recently bought land behind the Barangay Cabanbanan. As I started to dig my land prior to planting I discovered that it had become what archaeologists would call a midden and what I would call a rubbish tip. Because the land was vacant many people have dumped all manner of waste on the site. Waste ranging from building rubble, broken glass and bottles, crockery, cans, plastic and some e-waste. This storage area in the photos is just for the glass which I have so far uncovered.
Waste disposal is a worldwide problem and people who create the waste seek to shove the problem elsewhere. I am forcibly reminded of the justifiable righteous indignation of PRRD when he discovered containers of waste from first world countries like Australia and Canada dumped in the Philippines. Even South Korea has sent consignments of old mobile phones to the Philippines. The advice which I have received is to dig a BIG hole and rebury the glass for future generations to deal with. Part of the waste I have treated in the Filipino way of ‘sunogin’ it by heaping it up, letting it dry and polluting the atmosphere with its smoke. That way the problem on my land is blown away. Like the burying the glass or exporting the problem overseas, it’s “Out of sight-Out of mind”.
Because the Philippines does not have the same level of packaging of western countries, its waste problem is currently not as great, YET. Now is the time to develop a strategy for every type of waste.
Lets look at the sorts of waste that are a problem.
Shipping containers are filling up the storage areas in Manila as more goods are received in containers than are shipped out so the excess containers are a waste product. Reuse in their original function is out of the question but they can be recycled as Housing, Emergency shelters stockpiled around the country, Prisons, Class rooms, Sari Sari stores, small workshops and factories, University and work dormitories.
Glass is easily collected and can be melted down and can be reused as San Mig bottles. I will covenant to drink more San Mig if it is in reused glass bottles. It can be collected in shopping centres like Arezza, Santa Cruz and Pagsanjan. People leave these areas loaded with shopping. It would be easy for them to bring their bags back full of glass and deposit them in a central area bin. The municipality could pay a small fee depending on weight and the glass could be sent to glass manufacturers for recycling. A Similar process could apply with aluminium and steel although now our steel is sold for salt.
Vegetative matter can be digested in composting bins to deal with leaves, household scraps, paper to convert material which is now burnt into compost to improve the soil. Instead of degrading the soil waste can improve the soil that humanity needs to survive.
The choice for the Philippines is crystal clear: Prevention or Cure, to be Proactive and have recycling plans in place or to be reactive and endure the cost and misery of cleanup.
Think Manila Bay! Think Boracay! The choice is local and the choice is NOW!
Article Contributed by Foreign Eyes
Pagsanjan Today 