Wastes of popular brands were found to be the top polluters of Davao City’s riverbanks this was after the Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) and Davao City Bantay Bukid volunteers recently conducted a four-day Waste and Brand Audit (WABA) at Panigan River in Brgy. Tawan-Tawan and Brgy. Carmen, Lower Tamugan River in Brgy. Gumalang, and Davao River in Brgy. San Rafael, Davao City.
In a statement, IDIS and the Bantay Bukid volunteers bared they collected a total of 3,704 pieces of mixed wastes varying from food packaging, plastic bags, PET (polyethylene terephthalate), and glass bottles, toiletries, sachets, medical wastes, and other household wastes during the WABA.
Through a cross-check analysis, the group stated that wastes of top manufacturers of food packaging and production-related companies are top polluters of the city’s riverbanks that include Liwayway Holdings Company, which is the manufacturer of popular junk food Oishi, Crispy Patata, and Rinbee; Procter and Gamble, which is a manufacturer of leading detergent bars and powders, dishwashing liquids, and disposable diapers; Prifood Corporation, which is one of the leading producers of junk food in the country like Super Crunch, Yip Yap, and Red Chili; Unilever, Coca-Cola Company, JBC Food Corp., Nestle Republic Biscuit, and W.L Food Products.
The group also showed that based on the data of the overall classification of collected wastes categorized as non-biodegradable wastes such as plastic wrappers, bags, bottles, glass, and special wastes such as facemasks and used materials.
The group stated that a total of 1,518 pieces of food wrappers or packaging of junk food, biscuits, and other packed snacks comprise 41 percent of the total waste collected. Plastic bags, pieces of cellophane, and sacks took the second spot with 15 percent or 553 pieces.
On the other hand, detergents, soap, and shampoo sachets follow at 475 pieces while plastic (PET) bottles, plastic cups, and high-density plastic containers follow at 402 pieces; and a total of 183 disposable face masks were collected.
The lower percentile is composed of other residual wastes that include, among others, used clothes, glass bottles, tin cans, disposable diapers and napkins, cigarette buds, and deflated balloons.
Lawyer Mark Peñalver, executive director of IDIS, said with these data, IDIS is alarmed by how the public manages their wastes and by how they strongly implement or follow the laws.
“How they manage their waste problem also reflects how they lead their respective barangay. Most importantly, these areas are critical to the future of Davao City – Panigan-Tamugan watershed being the next source of drinking water of the city” Peñalver said.
Recently, the City Council passed two ordinances aiming to help in addressing waste problems in Davao City namely No to the single-use plastic ordinance and the ordinance regulating recreational activities in the watersheds.
“We also urge our barangay local government units to strictly monitor their respective jurisdictions and enforce their mandate under existing laws,” he added.
IDIS and Bantay Bukid Volunteers are now calling the attention of the top polluters of the city’s rivers to start shifting from throwaway packaging models to more sustainable reuse and refill systems and mainstream other community-based working models that aim to end dependence on single-use plastics.
IDIS and Bantay Bukid volunteers are also urging the public to manage their wastes properly and avoid using single-use plastics.
