PHILIPPINE Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation Inc. (PRRCFI) brings together key decision makers and movers from the government, civil society organizations and communities through a Plastic Waste Solutions Summit on August 28 at Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.
The Summit is part of PRRCFI’s program Sea Waste Education to Eradicate Plastic (Sweep) that intends to produce more science-based materials, activities and public policies to educate coastal communities on the extent and effect of marine plastic pollution; change behavior of community residents to separate waste and recycle at the household and business levels to reduce marine plastic pollution; provide support local government units to improve solid waste planning and management with a focus on recycling plastic waste and other recyclable materials; and engage coastal communities in developing the business model of “zero waste sari-sari stores” as a strategy to reduce plastic packaging from consumer products.
Sweep is presently supported through a Municipal Waste Recycling Program grant of the USAID from 2018-2020 with focal work at Southern Negros Marine Key Biodiversity Areas – Cauayan, Sipalay, Hinoba-an, Bayawan, Siaton, Sta Catalina and Basay – and Bacolod City.
The summit aims to discuss solutions and create action plans for working together in reducing the flow of plastic to the ocean; exhibit and present government and private sector projects and enterprises on reducing or recycling of plastic waste; launch the Sweep Mobile Museum, an information, education and communication campaign tool on marine plastic pollution, before its deployment to coastal communities; and seek commitment from participants especially mayors, vice mayors, councilors, environment and natural resources/solid waste management personnel, and barangay captains to work together for plastic waste solutions, through a ceremonial signing of a Declaration of Commitment. (PR)