EcoWaste: Stop indiscriminate garbage dumping

MANILA, Philippines - A waste and pollution watchdog yesterday warned against the indiscriminate dumping of garbage, saying the massive flooding in Metro Manila and nearby provinces on Saturday should serve as a “wake-up call” to citizens and government officials.

Citing the text reports they received, EcoWaste noted that the flooding affected not only the usual low-lying areas but also places that have not been flooded for years, “turning streets to instant swimming pools.”

EcoWaste president Manny Calonzo said the thoughtless disposal of trash, from cigarette butts to bags of mixed refuse, is a major cause of rapid flooding after heavy rains.

“We blame uncaring litterbugs for clogging the waterways as well as some public officials for sleeping on the job, particularly for failing to enforce local and national laws against the illegal dumping of garbage. The massive flooding should rouse the authorities from their slumber and implement the ecological management of discards without delay,” Calonzo said.

He said discards thrown on streets, in canals, creeks and rivers end up clogging the watercourse, disrupting the flow of rainwater, and turning low-lying areas into “filthy pools” that spread water-borne diseases.

The entire Metro Manila was placed under a state of emergency on Saturday after tropical storm “Ondoy” poured “one month’s worth of rain” over the metropolis in less than a day, submerging 80 percent of the region.

Twenty-five other provinces in Luzon were placed under a state of calamity after Ondoy lashed the province of Aurora and Quezon at around 11 a.m., packing winds of 85 kilometers per hour and gusts of 100 kilometers per hour.

These are Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Quezon, Isabela, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro Oriental, Mindoro Occidental, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, and Bataan.

Calonzo said routine clearing and dredging operations are essential to mitigate flooding during the rainy season, but will be pointless if indiscriminate littering and dumping remain uncontrolled.

“The ecological management of discards is a critical component in any complete flood prevention and management program. Individual, family and community participation is the key for its success,” he said.

EcoWaste urged barangay councils to educate people in solid waste management “for tidier, healthier and more vibrant communities.”

The group also encouraged authorities to address the “special needs” of informal settlers, especially those living along creeks and rivers, in managing their refuse.

“The informal settlements are here to stay unless and until we have fully addressed the needs of our people for humane and sustainable employment, livelihood and housing. In the meantime, we urge the government to invest more in uplifting their living environments, including implementing a program on ecological waste management program that will cater to their specific conditions,” Calonzo said.