Las Piñas taps junk shops for recycling drive

Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda Aguilar has tapped junk shop operators in the city’s 20 barangays not only to reduce the volume of garbage in the city, but to provide livelihood to some residents.

Aguilar urged city residents to bring their used bottles and other recyclable materials to junk shops accredited by the city government. She said the project is aimed at maintaining the city’s image as one the cleanest city in the country, being the recipient of a United Nations award for environment.

She said recyclable materials brought to junk shops will provide livelihood to less fortunate city residents. The effort is in line with the city’s clean and green program to minimize the increasing volume of garbage disposed at the city’s dumps.

"Waste segregation and proper waste disposal must start from our homes. We should also encourage our children and domestic help to make it an everyday habit," Aguilar added.

Barangay Captain Tito Martinez, president of Liga ng mga Barangay, supported the move of the mayor and urged barangay captains to adopt a junk shop in their respective area to serve as a material recovery facility.

Aguilar also asked the support of more than 100 homeowners’ associations in the city for her zero waste and beautification campaigns.

More than 600 cubic meters of garbage are collected daily based on the figure provided by the city’s environmental sanitation center. This is equivalent to 70 garbage compactor trucks.

Earlier, Aguilar tapped socio-civic groups, private and public schools and fastfood outlets and restaurants for the waste reduction information campaign.