Shun fireworks, opt for safe, eco-friendly noise makers – EcoWaste

With revelry and celebration for Christmas and New Year just a few days away, A toxic watchdog pleaded anew to the public to shun the use of fireworks.

“Iwaspaputoxic: ligtasna, malinispa,” EcoWaste Coalition called out to the public.

The call was made as EcoWaste Coalition launched its annual campaign to encourage the general public to greet the New Year in a safe and cleaner manner sans injurious and noxious firecrackers.

Held at the Marcelo H. Del Pilar Elementary School in Quezon City, the “IwasPaputoxic” event drew the participation of some 1,000 students and their teachers who manifested their support to a firecracker-free and waste-free revelry.

Led by school principal AireenDulfo, Miss Philippines Eco-Tourism Vanessa Mae Castillo, and guests from the Department of Health (DOH) and Philippine National Police (PNP), the school assembly showed a fun way of celebrating the New Year through the use of eco-friendly and safe noisemakers that will not pose danger to life, limb, property and the environment.

“Year in and year out, we usher in the New Year tallying the number of firecracker blast victims. We hope it will be a totally different scenario this time with the implementation of Executive Order No. 28, which provides for stricter regulation and control of the use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition.