Plastic top culprit in Manila Bay pollution

THE Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), an international coalition of environmental groups, in its latest waste audit, said plastic remains the top cause of pollution in Manila Bay.

According to GAIA, plastic trash comprised 75 percent of garbage retrieved from Manila Bay.

"Of the waste recovered, 75.55 percent was composed of plastic discards, mostly plastic bags and polystyrene products," GAIA said.

The waste audit was conducted last Nov. 28 to mark the ninth "Global Day of Action" against waste and incineration.

"Biodegradables made up a far second at 10.99 percent; glass, 5.77 percent; metals, 2.2 percent; hazardous waste, 1.38 percent; and rubber, 0.55 percent," the coalition said.

GAIA has 650 members from 92 countries.

It has conducted a similar discard survey in 2006, ranking plastic discards as the number one solid wastes polluting the Manila Bay.

Of the 76.9 percent of the total plastic trash recovered in 2006, 51.4 percent were plastic bags, 19 percent junk food wrappers and sachets, five percent styrofoam and one percent hard plastics.

The rest of the recovered trashes were rubber at 10.2 percent and biodegradable waste at 12.9 percent.

"Considering the outgoing current, we still collected quite a volume of trash and it is unfortunate that plastic items led by plastic bags and styro products remain to be the prime visible pollutants of Manila Bay," said Gigie Cruz of GAIA.

"Our findings today reinforced what all of us already know: plastics is a problem and our penchant for patronizing disposable products magnifies this problem," she added.

Cruz said pending bills in the Congress such as House Bills 127, 651, and 2109 should immediately be passed to stop the proliferation of plastic bags in the country.

"These bills that are now in Congress, which propose to phase out, ban and tax plastic bags should be supported," she said.

The three House Bills sought to impose a plastic bag levy; mandating the use of recyclable or biodegradable materials for the packaging of consumer products; and banning the use of plastic bags in groceries, restaurants and other establishments.

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Ban on hazardous baby bottles pushed

Children’s health and safety advocates on Wednesday urged the government to follow the ban imposed by the European Union on toxic chemical present in plastic feeding bottles.

The Save Babies Coalition and the EcoWaste Coalition said President Benigno Aquino III should issue an order to ban a health-damaging chemical known as bisphenol A or BPA in plastic baby bottles.

The European Commission announced last week a manufacture ban on polycarbonate plastic infant bottles containing BPA, an industrial chemical, effective March 2011 in EU’s 27-member countries.

Also, starting June 1 next year the placing on the market and the importation into the EU of these bottles will be prohibited.

“May the ban on BPA be President Aquino’s and Health Secretary Enrique Ona’s early Christmas gift to our babies and children, our future, who are most susceptible to toxic harm,” said Ines Fernandez of the Save Babies Coalition, who likewise reminded mothers the benefits of breastfeeding such as higher IQ (intelligence quotient) and emotional security.

BPA, a chemical used in polycarbonate baby bottles and in epoxy resins for canned foods and beverages, has been linked to reproductive and developmental problems, including disruptions to the body’s hormonal system.

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Waste Audit shows plastic garbage as top polluter of Manila Bay‏

Results of a waste audit in Manila Bay organized by various green groups last Sunday reveals that plastic discards continue to pollute our world-famous sunset destination, comprising 75.5 percent of the trash collected.

As part of the 9th Global Day of Action against Waste and Incineration, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives [GAIA], Greenpeace, EcoWaste Coalition, and 11 other civil society organizations conducted a follow up to their 2006 waste audit of the heavily-polluted Manila Bay.

Boats and crew from the Greenpeace flagship, Rainbow Warrior, also participated in the event.

Participants were divided into land and water teams. Land team collected litter along the shore of Manila Bay stretching from the Manila Yacht Club to the US Embassy, while the water team rode boats and collected flotsam offshore from the Yacht Club to Baseco Compound.

About 728 liters of waste was collected and segregated into 12 classifications, namely, plastic bags, composites, polystyrene, hard plastics, plastic bottles, hazardous wastes, rubber, metal, glass, biodegradables, nappies, and other discards.

Of the 728 liters of collected debris, 75.55 percent was composed of plastic discards, mostly plastic bags and polystyrene products.

Biodegradables made up far second at 10.99 percent; glass, 5.77 percent; metals, 2.2 percent; hazardous waste, 1.38 percent; and rubber, .55 percent.

GAIA pointed out that in their 2006 waste audit results, plastic discards also ranked number one at 76.9 percent among the various categories of solid waste polluting the celebrated Manila Bay.

“Considering the outgoing current, we still collected quite a volume of trash and it is unfortunate that plastic items led by plastic bags and styro products remain to be the prime visible pollutants of Manila Bay.

"Our findings today reinforced what all of us already know: plastics is a problem and our penchant for patronizing disposable products magnifies this problem,” disclosed Gigie Cruz of GAIA. Fortunately, there are now bills in Congress which propose to phase out, ban and tax plastic bags, and they have our full support,” she said.

GAIA called HB No. 127 authored by Rep. Al Francis Bichara, HB No. 651 by Rep. Sonny Angara, and HB No. 2109 by Reps. Rufus Rodriguez and Maximo Rodriguez, Jr. which are respectively imposing plastic bag levy, mandating the use of recyclable or biodegradable materials for the packaging of consumer products; and banning the use of plastic bags in groceries, restaurants and other establishments as “important laws which time has come”.

“We can only do so much cleaning visible trash, but toxic discharges which are actually more harmful remain invisible. In line with Zero Waste principles, Greenpeace is calling for a mandatory pollution disclosure system that will be the first step to eliminate these hidden toxics in our waters,” expressed Beau Baconguis, Toxics Campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

Lending their experience in identifying wastes, members of Samahan ng Muling Pagkabuhay Multi-Purpose Cooperative, an organization of wastepickers [also called informal recyclers] in Smoky Mountain, also helped in the audit.

The waste audit was also conducted as part of the 10th anniversary of both GAIA and Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

GAIA was founded 10 years ago in South Africa to mobilize grassroots action against incinerators and other dirty waste technologies and advance sustainable and just solutions such as Zero Waste and Clean Production.

The regional Greenpeace office, on the other hand, was established in 2000 following the visit of the Rainbow Warrior for the “Toxics Free Asia Tour” in the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.

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That baby bottle may be dangerous

THE Save Babies Coalition (SBC) and EcoWaste Coalition yesterday urged President Aquino and Health Secretary Enrique Ona to take the initial steps in banning Bisphenol A (BPA) which has been blamed for causing developmental problems in children.

The chemical compound is used in plastic baby bottles.

The two groups urged Aquino and Ona to follow the lead of the European Union (EU) in issuing a ban on BPA in plastic baby bottles.

"We call upon the Aquino government to do the same in the greater interest of safeguarding our kids’ health," said Aileen Lucero of the EcoWaste’s Project PROTECT (People Responding and Organizing against Toxic Chemical Threats).

Last week, the EU approved the ban in using chemical compound BPA in plastic baby bottles, effective March 2011 in its member countries.

Canada and the states of Connecticut and Minnesota had introduced policies banning BPA for public health and safety, especially for food and drink containers for children below three years.

Tests show that BPA can leach from the bottle into any liquid it contains, with potentially damaging results. It is believed to affect reproductive and development in young children, including disrupting the hormonal system.

The chemical is widely used in making hard, clear plastic and is commonly found in food and drink containers.

The EcoWaste and SBC also urged the government to consider imposing a total ban on BPA in all food packaging.

"Some companies have already switched to non-BPA linings for their products, so it’s possible to get BPA out of food packaging," the groups said.

According to the EU-based Health and Environmental Alliance (HEAL), the ban should be for "all food packaging for infants under 3 years old and it should quickly be extended to all food packaging because consumption by women of child-bearing age should be avoided."

"Babies during pregnancy must be protected," it added.

Since the ban on BPA is not yet in place, the Ecowaste and SBC advised consumers to take precaution to reduce exposure to BPA, including avoiding polycarbonate plastic containers.

The groups said the public should opt for safer alternatives such as glass, ceramics or stainless steel.

"Mothers should also breastfeed for six months and keep on breastfeeding for two years or more for the babies’ health benefits such as higher IQ, and emotional security," SBC’s Fernandez said.

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PNoy, dapat i-ban ang toxic feeding bottles

HINILING kay President Benigno Aquino III at Health Secretary Enrique Ona na gawing maagang pamasko sa mga sanggol at batang Pilipino ang pagbabawal ng isang nakakalasong kemikal na ginagamit sa paggawa ng feeding bottles.

Ayon sa mga humiling, ang Save Babies Coalition at Eco-Waste Coalition, dapat nang ipagbawal ng Philippine government ang pagbebenta ng infant bottles na may industrial chemical na tinatawag na Bisphenol-A o BPA.

Noong isang lingo, nagdeklara ng regional ban ang European Commission sa polycarbonate plastic infant bottles na may BPA. Ang ban ay ipapatupad ng 27 miyembro ng EU sa March 2011.

“We applaud EU’s region-wide ban on BPA-laced baby bottles and call upon the Aquino government to do the same in the greater interest of safeguarding our kids’ health,” ani Aileen Lucero ng EcoWaste Coalition’s Project PROTECT o People Responding and Organizing against Toxic Chemical Threats.

“May the ban on BPA be PNoy’s and Sec. Ona’s early Christmas gift to our babies and children, our future, who are most susceptible to toxic harm,” ani Ines Fernandez ng Save Babies Coalition.

Ang BPA ay isang organic compound na ginagamit sa paggawa ng polycarbonate plastic at epoxy resins.

Ang mga produktong karaniwang gawa sa polycarbonate plastic na may BPA ay baby at water bottles; sports equipment; medical and dental devices; dental fillings; eyeglass lenses; CDs at DVDs; at household electronics.

Ang coatings naman ng mga food at beverage can ay kadalasang ginagamitan ng epoxy resin na may kahalong BPA.

Taon-taon, tinatayang may eight billion pounds ang ginagamit na BPA sa paggawa ng iba’t ibang produkto ng manufacturing industries sa buong mundo. Ang Canada ang unang nagdeklara nitong Setyembre na ang BPA bilang toxic substance.

Samantala, hiniling din ng dalawang koalisyon kay Aquino na i-ban ang mga food packaging na may BPA.

“Some companies have already switched to non-BPA linings for their products, so it’s possible to get BPA out of food packaging,” anang dalawang grupo.

Ayon sa EU-based Health and Environmental Alliance, dapat na i-ban ang paggamit ng lahat ng food packagings sa mga infants under three years old. Anito, ang ban ay dapat ding i-extend lalo na sa mga kababaihang nagdadalang tao.

Habang wala pang ban dito, dapat na iwasan ng mga consumer ang paggamit ng mga packaging na gawa sa polycarbonate plastic containers na kadalasang may markang “PC” or number “7,” ayon sa dalawang grupo.

Mas makabubuti ikang gumamit ng mga packaging na gawa sa glass, ceramics, o stainless steel upang mapangalagaan ang kalusugan.

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Plastic trash top polluter in Manila Bay

The result of a waste audit conducted by green advocates show that plastic discards remain the top polluter in the heavily-polluted Manila Bay.

As part of the 9th Global Day of Action Against Waste and Incineration, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Greenpeace, EcoWaste Coalition, and various civil society organizations conducted a follow up to their 2006 waste audit of Manila Bay last Sunday.

About 728 liters of waste was collected and segregated into 12 classifications, namely, plastic bags, composites, polystyrene, hard plastics, plastic bottles, hazardous wastes, rubber, metal, glass, biodegradables, nappies, and other discards.

Of the collected debris, 75.55 percent was composed of plastic discards, mostly plastic bags and polystyrene products.

Biodegradables were second at 10.99 percent; glass, 5.77 percent; metals 2.2 percent; hazardous waste 1.38 percent; and rubber 0.55 percent.

Last Sunday, the “land” team collected litter along the shore of Manila Bay stretching from the Manila Yacht Club to the United States Embassy, while the “water” team rode boats and collected floating garbage offshore from the Yacht Club to Baseco Compound in Tondo, Manila.

GAIA pointed out that in their 2006 waste audit results, plastic discards also ranked number one at 76 percent among the various categories of solid waste polluting Manila Bay.

“Considering the outgoing current, we still collected quite a volume of trash and it is unfortunate that plastic items led by plastic bags and styro products remain to be the prime visible pollutants of Manila Bay. Our findings today reinforced what all of us already know: Plastics is a problem and our penchant for patronizing disposable products magnifies this problem,” Gigie Cruz of GAIA said.

“Fortunately, there are now bills in Congress which propose to phase out, ban and tax plastic bags, and they have our full support,” she pointed out.

GAIA called House Bill No. (HB) 127 authored by Rep. Al Francis Bichara, HB No. 651 by Rep. Sonny Angara, and HB No. 2109 by representatives Rufus Rodriguez and Maximo Rodriguez, Jr. which are respectively imposing plastic bag levy, mandating the use of recyclable or biodegradable materials for the packaging of consumer products; and banning the use of plastic bags in groceries, restaurants and other establishments as “important laws which time has come.”

“We can only do so much cleaning visible trash, but toxic discharges which are actually more harmful remain invisible. In line with Zero Waste principles, Greenpeace is calling for a mandatory pollution disclosure system that will be the first step to eliminate these hidden toxics in our waters,” Beau Baconguis, toxics campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said.

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Customs warned on entry of toxic toys

An environment group pressed the Bureau of Customs to carefully inspect holiday toys and goods shipped from China to ensure that these are not made of toxic materials.

In a statement, Ecowaste Coalition said the bureau should publish the brand names, photos, and other product specifications of toys that it had rejected due to high levels of lead and other harmful chemicals as a matter of public health safety.

With the holiday season, the organization also urged the agency to inspect imported fruits and other food stuffs to ensure that they do not contain pesticide residues and other contaminants.

“We support the more careful inspection of these Christmas shipments to ensure that dangerous goods such as toxic toys, substandard lights, and perilous firecrackers are not put up for sale in the local market,” said Roy Alvarez, coalition president.

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