Plastic, paper, and metal wastes can now be exchanged for grocery items in Quezon City as the local government launched its “Trash to cashback” program Tuesday.
Under the program, “recyclables” can be traded for basic commodities, such as rice, eggs, vegetables, hygiene kits, among others, in the local government’s bid to promote the importance of recycling and waste segregation.
A “My Basurero Eco-Community” kiosk has been set up at the Quezon City Hall Risen Garden, where residents can convert their recyclable wastes into “environmental points” that can be used to buy groceries, the local government said.
It added, more kiosks will “soon be rolled out in barangays.”
Interested traders have to create and register their email through BeepXTRA Philippines to collect their environmental points.
Aside from groceries, the points can be used in food deliveries. A complete list of partner stores and establishments is accessible through bXTRA.com.ph and bXTRAoutlet.delivery websites.
According to the city’s environment head, Andrea A. Villaroman, the city is currently in talks with its Small Business Cooperatives Development and Promotions Office (SBCDPO) for the registration of micro and small businesses as partner merchants of bXTRA.
“If we have more partner merchants where residents can exchange their EPs, mas mahihikayat natin silang ipalit ang kanilang (we can encourage more residents to trade their) recyclable waste,” she said.