Give us garbage, we'll give you rice

Manila residents can trade waste for basic goods in a scheme aimed at reducing the city's garbage

By Luz Baguioro
PHILIPPINES CORRESPONDENT

MANILA - In its latest bid to solve the chronic garbage problem in the Philippine capital, the government is to give away rice in exchange for dry, recyclable trash.

The project, which will be launched later this month by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), encourages residents of Metro Manila to gather so-called 'dry recyclables' such as plastics, bottles, paper and tin cans.

These recyclables can then be exchanged for rice from any of the government-run vans selling rice and other basic goods in depressed communities.

Forty pieces of tin can, for example, can be bartered for 1 kg of rice.

If there is not enough, these can be complemented with other recyclables or a little cash. Priority areas are the shantytowns in the metropolis, but authorities said posh residences are also welcome to participate.

'With this project, we hit two birds with one stone: We encourage environmental protection and at the same time, we help people buy a staple food in these hard times,' said Ms Elsie Encarnacion of the MMDA's Solid Waste Management Group.

The capital generates about 6,000 tonnes of garbage daily, of which around 48 per cent can be recycled.

However, only 65 per cent of the garbage is actually collected, and the rest are dumped in waterways.

Because of silt from garbage, authorities reckon the capacity of the capital's internal drainage systems has been reduced by almost half.

The garbage problem has become even more pressing after the recent closure of two garbage dumps due to environmental concerns. The failure to open new sites due to local opposition has caused garbage to pile up all over the capital.

Apart from low environmental consciousness, Ms Encarnacion said that the absence of separate bins for biodegradable and recyclable waste partly explains why recycling has so far failed to take hold.

'Even if people wanted to, there is no system in place that encourages recycling,' she said.

The World Bank in a recent report warned that the country's garbage problem could worsen and cause serious health and environmental problems unless it is addressed soon.

'We need to act fast on the fast piling and stinking problem of garbage,' it said.

Each Filipino generates almost half a kilogram of garbage daily.

The country as a whole is expected to generate about 10 million tonnes of garbage this year.

Only 70 per cent of the garbage in urban areas and 40 per cent in rural areas is collected. The situation is worst in poor communities.

To this, environment specialist Patchamuthu Illagovan, who headed the team that worked on the report, urged: 'Proper disposal facilities that include recyling, composting and sanitary landfilling should be urgently implemented.'