The average quantity of solid waste collected in the National Capital Region (NCR) has jumped by over 2,500 tons per day compared to the time when there was no coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
This was evident in the numbers provided by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Benny Antiporda to reporters Tuesday, Aug. 17.
The culprits in the increased garbage generation in Metro Manila? Antiporda named two: the discarded packaging from online shopping deliveries and household healthcare wastes, including disposable face masks.
"Let's talk about NCR since the number of COVID cases is concentrated here. In 2019, we had about 9,333 tons per day solid waste collected here in NCR.
"But now, in 2021, because of the population and the increasing number of online transactions, 'yung mga packaging materials ang nakita nating dumami and of course mayroon ding tinatawag nating household healthcare waste na nahahalo, ang collection natin ngayon is about 11,953 tons per day (we saw an increase in the use of packaging materials and of course in our so-called household healthcare waste, our collection now is about 11,953 tons per day)," he said.
COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020.
Antiporda, alternate chairman of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC), had earlier warned online retailers and merchants against the abusive use of bubble wrap in packing their items before shipping them out to customers.
He said that more environment-friendly materials like old newspapers, which provide the same type of cushion for items, should be used instead amid the growing popularity of online shopping platforms.
"On the COVID-19 healthcare waste, the NSWMC came up with resolution no.1364 series of 2020 wherein COVID-19 waste management plan. And it was given to DILG and DILG came out with the memorandum circular instructing the local government units (LGUs) to act on the COVID-19 solid waste management," recalled the DENR official.
Antiporda said that the response of the Metro LGUs to the waste management plan leaves something to be desired.
"Hindi ganun kalakas 'yung implementation nila 'no...Sila naman ay kailangang gumalaw din lalo na yung kanilang service provider (Their implementation isn't that strong...They also have to act on this, especially their service provider)," he noted.
He said that the national government through the DENR had previously turned over yellow trash bins to the different LGUs in NCR to help them tackle the problem of household healthcare waste. The yellow trash bins can help ensure that COVID-contaminated wastes don't get mixed with domestic refuse.
Antiporda said that while he understood the plight of the LGUs amid the ongoing public health crisis, the solid waste problem shouldn't be neglected.
"It boils down to funding. Sinasabi nila it was spent on the COVID-19, yung solutions nila. Nale-left behind 'yung issue tungkol sa basura. Ang sinasabi lang natin dito, huwag nating ipag walang-bahala. (They're saying that they've spend their funds on their COVID reasons. The garbage issue gets left behind. What were saying here is, don't neglect it)," he said.
"Kapag hindi ho maayos ang pagkakatapon babalik at babalik po satin 'yang virus na yan...'Yan po yung kinakatakot namin. Kapag tinamaan po 'yung ating mga garbage collectors , isang cycle nanaman po 'yan (If the face masks aren't disposed of properly, then the virus will keep coming back to us...That is our fear. If our garbage collectors get infected, that will trigger another cycle of infection)," added Antiporda, who is himself a COVID-19 survivor.