By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has urged the organizers of the 30th Southeast Asian Games and host local governments to observe proper waste management throughout the event. DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda asked the organizers and hosts to implement the “zero-waste-to-landfill” policy to properly manage wastes. No biodegradable or recyclable waste will be sent to landfills coming from the SEA Games venues, he said. He made the appeal in anticipation of the large volumes of waste, such as plastic food and beverage containers, aluminum cans and cardboards, to be generated in the venues. “We call on the SEA Games organizers to use the sports event as a venue to showcase our best practices on solid waste management,” Antiporda, who also chairs the National Solid Waste Management Commission, said. He noted that tapping concerned city and municipality environment and natural resources officers, as well as mobilizing volunteers, could ensure the proper segregation and disposal of waste to the materials recovery facilities. The DENR official also expressed hope that waste segregation and recycling practices would "go beyond the Games." Antiporda pointed out that systems for implementing waste segregation and recycling have been in place from the provincial down to the barangay levels, as laid out in their approved 10-year solid waste management plans (SWMPs), pursuant to the Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. Based on the NSWMC records, 20 out of 23 cities and towns hosting the SEA Games already have approved SWMPs, while the remaining three are under evaluation. Host LGUs with approved SWMPs are the cities of Makati, Mandaluyong, Manila, Muntinlupa, Pasay, Pasig, Quezon and San Juan in Metro Manila; Angeles, Lubao, Mabalacat and San Fernando in Pampanga; Capas and Tarlac City in Tarlac province; San Juan town in La Union province; Imus and Tagaytay in Cavite; and Biñan, Los Baños and Sta. Rosa in Laguna. Those whose SWMPs are under evaluation are Calatagan, Batangas; Bocaue, Bulacan; and Subic, Zambales.