THE Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, or Republic Act 9003, has been in effect for 18 years but the government is still struggling to fully implement it.
The national government is already using the iron fist with local officials who have done nothing to address the garbage problem by filing cases against them.
Some cities and municipalities however are doing their best to address the garbage problem and are in fact are doing innovative ways to create awareness among their constituents.
One such innovation is the waste barter being implemented in Ligao City, Albay. Under the program, recyclable materials are exchanged for food and other items.
If my memory serves me right, this scheme has been implemented in some schools where recyclable materials are exchanged for school supplies.
It’s called Eco Savers Program. In participating schools, every type of recyclable waste are assigned “points” and recorded in a “passbook.” This is exactly what Ligao City implemented. The accumulated points are exchanged for canned goods or school supplies.
While the waste barter was intended only for far-flung areas where garbage collection is difficult or almost nonexistent, it is a laudable effort on the part of the local government unit (LGU) of Ligao City. I don’t see any reason why it cannot be implemented for the rest of the city. It can be easily done in public and private schools to supplement the Eco Savers Program. Other LGUs are encouraged to copy this barter scheme.
Did you know that this waste barter scheme is also implemented in other countries? In Mexico City, Mexico, a barter system called Garbage for Food has been in place since 2012. Every second Sunday of the month, people bring their clean recyclable waste such as plastic and glass bottles, paper, cans and some electronic devices and get “green points” in the form of monopoly-like bills.
The green points are used at the barter market in Mexico City’s Mercado de Trueque to exchange for vegetables, fruit, organic food and plants at the local farmer’s market. This scheme is actually not just for recycling but also to support local produce.
In Terengganu, Malaysia, there is also a barter system for recyclable goods, reputed to be the first in the country. According to teganukita.my, a local news portal, the system encourages people to bring in recyclable items to be exchanged for items such as food and beverage containers as well as recyclable bags.
I think Filipinos were the first one to implement a waste barter scheme.
When I was young, I recall that we exchange old newspaper or other recyclable waste for ice drop (popsicle). Businessmen can introduce green innovations by accepting recyclable waste as payment for their goods.
They can actually earn twice. Profit from their goods, and profit from trading the recyclable waste.