THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau in Davao Region (DENR-EMB Davao) has strengthened its campaign for proper hazardous waste management across higher education institutions in Davao City.
In a statement posted on its social media page, EMB-Davao announced that it conducted an online learning session titled "Campus Hazardous Waste Management: Responsible Disposal and Regulatory Compliance" on August 27. The activity targeted the growing volume of electronic waste generated on school campuses.
The bureau noted that expanded technology use in academic institutions has led to an increase in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), which includes discarded computers, printers, electronic devices, and busted fluorescent bulbs.
According to the UN Global E-Waste Monitor, electronic waste is growing five times faster than documented recycling capacity worldwide, with institutional equipment such as desktop units, monitors, and printing hardware facing significant administrative and regulatory delays before formal disposal.
During the orientation, EMB-Davao Finance and Administrative Division chief, Engr. Myhrra Fair C. Llanos, urged schools to strictly enforce regulatory standards governing WEEE, classified as M506 waste under DENR Administrative Order No. 2013-22.
The agency reported that resource speaker Engr. France Ione Gamas detailed key provisions of Republic Act No. 6969, or the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990. The discussion outlined technical standards for handling, storing, transporting, and disposing of campus hazardous wastes, alongside necessary permit requirements.
EMB-Davao, led by Regional Director EnP Alnulfo M. Alvarez, emphasized that building institutional capacity in local schools is critical to minimizing long-term health and environmental risks from improper e-waste disposal.
The campaign coincides with broader national advocacy from environmental coalitions and watchdogs that have recently called on government authorities to strengthen domestic waste infrastructure over foreign waste trade, warning that initiatives like "Pax Silica" could spur an influx of imported electronic waste under the guise of critical minerals recovery. GRS
