A DAVAO City-based environmental group reported recovering around 500 mixed waste items along the coastline of Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) on November 8, 2024.
The Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (Idis) stated that during their Coastal Clean-up and Brand Audit, they collected 533 mixed waste items from the Sabang Coastline of Igacos. The clean-up covered areas from Purok Cacao to Sabang Cliff, with collected waste including food packaging, plastic bottles, personal care items, fishing gear, plastic cups, and PET bottles.
"With this initiative, we urge locals and tourists to be mindful of their waste and reduce their consumption of single-use plastic," the group said in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning, December 10, 2024.
The group said that the data that they have collected would contribute to the development of the Integrated Marine and Coastal Management Plan for the island. The plan will highlight the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of waste management strategies in Davao Region.
The group added that the data collected will contribute to the development of the Integrated Marine and Coastal Management Plan for the island, aiming to promote long-term sustainability and effective waste management strategies in the Davao Region.
Idis partnered with students from the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP), the City Environment and Natural Resources-IGACOS, Barangay Kaputian, the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR), and other local stakeholders for the clean-up.
In addition to the clean-up, a brand audit revealed that the top three brands contributing to the waste were Liwayway Holdings (141 items), followed by JBC Food Corporation (67 items), and Nestlé (47 items).
The United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) has warned that microplastics could release harmful chemicals into the soil, potentially contaminating groundwater and nearby water sources.
Republic Act No. 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, mandates proper waste segregation, collection, and disposal in the Philippines while promoting sustainable ecological waste management practices. RGP
