Trash litters Metro Manila after New Year revelry

 

The garbage, including discards and remnants of fireworks, littered streets in Manila and Pasig Cities, radio dzBB reported.

 

Littered as well were many streets in Malabon and Quezon Cities, the report added.

 

An ecological group lamented the massive trash in Metro Manila's streets and sidewalks after the festivities.

In Manila, EcoWaste Coalition noted garbage dumped by revelers was left for street sweepers to clean up.

 

The group said Pedro Gil and Paz Streets in Paco, Singalong and Zobel Roxas Streets in Malate, and Carlos Palanca, Carriedo, Evangelista, R. Hidalgo and Villalobos Streets in Quiapo were all strewn with garbage.

 

Even historic Plaza Miranda was littered, the group said.

 

It said the most visible post-revelry discards included firecracker residues, cigarette butts, plastic bags, plastic bottles, paper and plastic food wrappers, polystyrene containers, food leftovers, soiled boxes and newspapers.

 

“We are saddened to see how litterbugs reared their ugly heads again at the boisterous festivities to welcome the New Year. As if filling the skies with toxic dusts and fumes from firecrackers and fireworks was not enough, they left piles of rubbish on streets that could easily pack dozens of hauling trucks,” said group president Roy Alvarez.

 

“The unrestrained disposal we observed is obviously not a splendid way to usher in 2012. It could be an ominous sign of another year of messy garbage problems,” he added.

 

EcoWaste recalled the Irisan dumpsite avalanche last year in Baguio City that buried five people in garbage.

 

It urged Filipinos to make resolutions to prevent a repeat of the post-revelry littering:

 

1. “I will be a responsible consumer, live simply and not blindly submit to crass materialism.”

2. “I will trim down my ‘waste size’ by actively reusing and recycling my discards to the fullest.”

3. “I will say no to plastic bags and Styrofoam containers.”

4. "I will proudly use 'bayong' and reusable carry bags."

5. “I will refuse to patronize over-packaged products and favor least packaged, locally-produced, eco-friendly products.”

6. “I will avoid products with toxic chemicals and refrain from throwing hazardous waste into regular bins.”

7. “I will diligently sort my discards to make reusing, recycling and composting clean and fun.”

8. "I will not burn my discards and dirty the air with health-damaging pollutants."

9. "I will never litter, and treat my surroundings as an extension of my own home."

10."I will inspire and persuade at least three people to switch to greener and healthier lifestyle."

 

The group cited government data showing Metro Manila generates up to 8,600 tons of waste per day, about 25 percent of the national waste production of some 35,000 tons daily.

 

It said some 30 to 50 percent of discards generated all over the country get collected and disposed of in 643 open dumpsites, 384 controlled dumpsites and 38 landfills nationwide. — LBG, GMA News