The city’s first electronic waste collection facility in Bakakeng Central is now operational.
The City Environment and Parks Management Office announced that beginning Feb. 26, the facility, known as Material Recovery Facility/Treatment Storage and Disposal Facility is open to receive e-wastes on Monday to Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5pm
Items for disposal are waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE): desktop, printer, fax machine, cellphone, LCD projector, circuit board, television, charger, and other electronic waste. However, it will accept busted light bulbs and similar items.
Cepmo Assistant Department Head, Engr. Marivic Empizo said the office is encouraging the barangays to designate a central collection area for e-wastes in their barangays and to bring these e-wastes to the Bakakeng Central MRF/TSD facility for proper treatment and disposal.
She noted that last year, electronic waste collection events were conducted in the city where tons of electronic waste were collected and transported for proper treatment and disposal.
The Bakakeng Central MRF/TSD facility was inaugurated on Sept. 25, 2023 in a program attended by Mayor Benjamin Magalong and project partners Department of Environment and Natural Resources; United Nations Industrial Development Organization; Ecological Waste Coalition Philippines; Integrated Recycling Industries, Inc.; PLDT, Inc.; and Smart Communications, Inc.
The DENR said the Baguio facility is their first outside Manila and the third of such kind in the country.
A cooperation agreement was forged among the local government, national agencies, and private partners covering the operational costs, sustainability issues, and matters concerning the personnel to man the facility which is programmed to accept a maximum of 10 tons of e-wastes each year.
The DENR said WEEE, which is currently regarded as one of the waste streams in the Philippines with the greatest rate of growth, involves all waste electrical and electronic equipment that contains hazardous components.
“The improper disposal of WEEE is a violation of Republic Act 6969 (Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990), which makes provisions to control, limit, and/or prohibit the importation, production, sale, distribution, use, and disposal of chemical substances and mixtures that would result in risk or injury to human and animal health or to the environment,” the DENR said. – Precious Yanna G. Vergara and Aileen P. Refuerzo
