ABOUT 500 residents and state workers participated in the recent “Refill Revolution” of the Environmental Management Bureau which seeks to beat plastic pollution.

The activity, held at the Regional Government Center in barangay Maimpis, City of San Fernando forms part of the celebration of this year’s Manila Bay Day of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

“Refill Revolution is one of DENR’s solutions to fight the global problem of plastics. This is an advocacy to cut back on plastic production, consumption, and packaging,” Paquito Moreno, Jr., DENR regional director, said.

With Refill Revolution, participants can refill their plastic bottles and containers with household products as long as these containers are clean, dry and covered with lids.

“The community has to wage war on plastic and fight pollution before we experience its worse effects in the coming years. This is also done to help reduce plastic wastes in our waters that stream down to Manila Bay,” he furthered.

Citing statistics, Moreno said the previous coastal cleanup around the globe reveals that plastic bottles top among items collected with a 1.5 million count. These were collected in oceans and beaches.

Likewise, there were three million plastic bottle caps, plastic grocery bags, plastic lids, straws, stirrers counted in the cleanup.

He urged residents and state workers alike to beat plastic pollution that is to refuse plastics that will not be reused.

About 1,000 liters each of dish washing liquid, fabric conditioner, and detergent significantly lower than the existing retail prices were offered to participants during the activity. (PIA-Central Luzon)