REVISITING THE LAW ABOUT RECYCLING

REVISITING THE LAW ABOUT RECYCLING

My dear countrymen, having noticed that our laws about recycling are largely ignored, I thought about revisiting it. But first, here is what the law says about recycling, according to ChatGPT:

START QUOTE: In the Philippines, the management of recyclables, including the use of Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), is governed by Republic Act No. 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

Key Provisions Regarding MRFs and Recyclables

1.   Establishment of MRFs:

o   Local Government Units (LGUs) are mandated to establish MRFs in every barangay or cluster of barangays.

o   MRFs are responsible for receiving, sorting, processing, and storing recyclable materials, as well as compostable and residual waste.

2.   Segregation at Source:

o   Households, businesses, and institutions must segregate waste at the source into biodegradable, recyclable, non-recyclable, and special waste.

o   Recyclables must be cleaned and prepared for delivery to MRFs or authorized recyclers.

3.   Responsibilities of Citizens:

o   Individuals are encouraged to bring segregated recyclable materials to the nearest MRF.

o   Participation in recycling programs and proper segregation is a civic duty to support the facility's operations.

4.   Prohibited Acts:

o   Mixing of segregated waste.

o   Failure to segregate recyclables before collection or delivery to MRFs.

5.   Incentives and Support:

o   LGUs and private entities may provide incentives to encourage citizens to bring recyclables to MRFs, such as waste-for-cash programs or discounts on utilities.

6.   Education and Awareness:

o   LGUs must conduct information campaigns to educate communities about the importance of recycling and the role of MRFs. END QUOTE

According to the law, it is very clear that households, businesses, and institutions must segregate waste at the source. However, the way the law was worded, it seems more like a suggestion rather than a command. While the law is clear that recyclables must be cleaned and prepared for delivery to the MRF, it only says that individuals are only “encouraged” to bring segregated recyclable materials to the nearest MRF, thus making it sound as if it is optional.

As it is happening now, it seems that very few LGUs are imposing the rule of segregating at source, and the rule of not mixing the segregated waste. In fairness to some households, they are not only following the rule of segregating at source, but they are also following the rule of not mixing the segregated waste. However, when the garbagemen come, they just dump everything into the truck, defeating the purpose of segregation in the first place. Not only that, sometimes the garbagemen remove the contents of the segregated bag, and they just mix all the contents into the truck.

As it is supposed to be, the garbagemen are supposed to bring the segregated wastes into the MRF, where these are supposed to be further sorted for eventual sale to recyclers or junk shops. It seems however that the popular practice now is to bring all the contents of the garbage truck to the dumpsites, and not even to the landfills. Who is supposed to be monitoring and implementing the provisions of the law? Is it the DENR or the DILG? Would it not be better if these two agencies are coordinating? Your friend, IKE SENERES/01-04-25/visit my blog senseneres.blogspot.com

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