MMDA turns over five truck loads of campaign materials to Ecowaste
Instead of throwing them away, confiscated campaign materials all over the metropolis will be put to good use.
Yesterday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) turned over campaign tarpaulins to environmental watchdog, EcoWaste Coalition to recycle them into coin purses, baskets, and grocery bags.
The tarpaulins were among the truckloads of illegal campaign materials and “epal” posters torn down by the MMDA from foot bridges, lampposts, cable wires and trees following the launch of the “Operation Baklas” last February 9.
“Epal” is street lingo derived from the Filipino term “papel” or “pumapel” which means one who likes to be given special attention.
MMDA general manager Corazon Jimenez said they expect the number of illegal campaign posters to increase once the campaign period for local candidates start in March. The Department of Public Works and Highways is also helping the MMDA in the “Oplan Baklas” campaign.
Francis Martinez, MMDA Metro Parkway Clearing Group said the confiscated campaign materials filled five dump trucks equivalent to seven tons.
Presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe had the most number of illegally posted campaign materials. Most of the materials removed were from the cities of Quezon and Manila because of their land area.
“It will be such a huge waste if these illegal election paraphernalia are buried in landfills. We can and we should find appropriate uses for them,” said Aileen Lucero, EcoWaste Coalition coordinator.
Tarpaulins can be sewn into mail and shoe organizers, worker’s aprons, tool belts, laundry baskets even receptacles for office or household recyclables.
Before sending the tarpaulins to partner groups for repurposing, the EcoWaste Coalition will first screen them for toxic metals through a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device.
“Removing such toxic additives is necessary to make tarpaulins easily reusable and recyclable and less a threat to public health and the ecosystems,” she emphasized.
“We’ll use the chemical data to be generated to push for a regulation that will restrict, if not eliminate, toxic additives in plastic tarpaulins,” Lucero said.