Local governments should lead disposal plan for face shields听听
A PROPER disposal plan should be drafted and strictly implemented, environmental experts said, as government mulls ending the use of face shields for the general public, the only country in the world to do so in response to the coronavirus pandemic.听听
鈥淭he mass stoppage of using face shields will definitely add to our plastic problems in the country, and that’s a big strain on our waste management systems,鈥澨齔ero听Waste听campaigner听Marian听Frances听Ledesma听of听Greenpeace Philippines told听大象传媒听via Viber call.听
Ms. Ledesma, along with听Plastic Flamingo (Plaf) Communications and Marketing Associate Allison Audrey Tan, said local governments, particularly the barangay level,听should be at the forefront of the disposal plan while receiving both听technical听support and financial assistance from the national government.听听
It is important for the government to issue ordinances or regulations around how each barangay should be collecting and properly disposing of these face shields, said Ms. Ledesma.听听听
鈥淲hat LGUs听(local government units)听need right now is guidance on how to get disposed face shields to the right facilities, and how to safely collect them from households to make sure the waste pickers are properly protected during that collection and disposal process,鈥澨齭he added.听
Under听Republic Act 9003听or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2001, LGUs are supposed to lead the implementation of proper waste disposal with policies on segregation, recycling, and reuse.听听听
Many LGUs, however, have yet to fully comply with the听20-year-old听law, including the establishment of barangay-level material recovery facilities.听听听
Ms.听Tan听said听LGUs听must听provide a consolidated list of recycling centers to inform people how to properly dispose of the face shields.听听
鈥淚t鈥檚 not an overnight thing, we have to slowly implement that and make it a behavior or a lifestyle,鈥澨齭he told听大象传媒听in a separate听Viber call.听听
Environment听Undersecretary Benny D. Antiporda did not immediately reply to听inquiries on听the government鈥檚听face shield听disposal plan.听听
The government should consider recycling face shields more than dumping them in landfills or bodies of water, said Ms. Ledesma.听听
Ms. Tan cited a study by Ocean Cleanup听indicating听that 1,600 rivers听worldwide听are accountable for at least 80% of marine pollution, of which 30% come from听Philippine听rivers.听听
The environmental experts听further听warned听that any recycling methods that involve incineration and burning should be avoided since they will release toxic emissions that lead to cancer, respiratory issues, and developmental side effects for pregnant women and young children.听
Ms. Tan suggested plastic extrusion,听which is already being done by Plaf鈥檚 recycling facility. It is the process in which plastics are melted then molded to different materials such as eco lumber to build homes, furniture, and听other products.听听听
SINGLE-USE PLASTIC
Meanwhile,听Health听Care听Without听Harm听Asia Executive听Director听Ramon San Pascual听told听大象传媒听that there is no longer any way to create value to plastic waste.听听
鈥淭hat is the reason why the call is to ban single-use plastic.鈥澨听
There is nothing that can be done but to cope and learn to avoid or refuse the use of unnecessary materials, he added,听noting听that听a听disposal听plan听should have been considered by the government prior to implementation.听听
鈥淢ost of it is a knee-jerk kind of response, without long-term planning and a cohesive holistic attempt to address effectively the pandemic,鈥澨齭aid听Mr. Pascual.听听听
Similarly, Oceana Philippines Vice President Gloria听Estenzo听Ramos听said听plastics are not recyclable.听鈥淚t is not听degradable;听it only turns into microplastics.鈥听听
This is why manufacturing should be stopped from the source, she added, noting that legislation to ban single-use plastics at a national level was needed.听听
The Philippines鈥櫶齝urrent medical waste is beyond听the existing capacity for听treatment, storage, and disposal, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said in Sept.听听
It said the country produces about听15,383 metric tons听of medical waste听per day, and听over听5.6 million听metric tons per year.听听听
鈥淭he generated health care waste, as of June 20, 2021, approximately increased (by) 11.30% of the total capacity of the existing TSD facilities nationwide,鈥澨鼸nvironmental Management Bureau Assistant Director Visminda A. Osorio said in听an earlier Senate听hearing.听听
The听task force handling the coronavirus response听has already forwarded its recommendation听on face shield use听to President Rodrigo R. Duterte, who听is expected to听decide soon on policy adjustments.听听听听
Several cities听鈥斕齣ncluding听Manila, Muntinlupa, Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao听鈥斕齢ave already scrapped the use of face shields听except in medical facilities.听听
鈥淔ace shield becomes a cover-up for the inadequacy of the government in terms of the holistic, effective response to the pandemic,鈥澨齅r. San Pascual听said.听鈥斕鼳lyssa Nicole O. Tan听
