‘Take steps for proper waste management’

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it,” Robert Swan.

The month of January is not just the month of festivals but was also declared the National Zero Waste Month by Presidential Proclamation 760 issued in May 2014.

Themed “Zero Starts Now: Reducing Waste, Sustaining Actions; the celebration of Zero Waste Month” focused in reducing our daily wastes.

Thus, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 6 is calling the attention of the public to be trash-free in their everyday activity.

Under a zero-waste approach, recyclables are reused and become a source of livelihood for waste workers. At the same time, through the proper segregation, biodegradable can be composted in our homes, schools and offices.

However, the sustainable life will not be successful if not regulated. Thus, the DENR encourages the Local Government Units (LGUs) to be proactive in implementing RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

“Let us practice the three (3) Rs; Reduce using materials that can harm the mother Earth, Reuse the plastics and other reusable materials and Recycle the trash that we can still use when recycled”, Regional Executive Director Francisco E. Milla, Jr, said.

“This Zero-Waste month, we at the DENR Regional Office 6 are asking for your full cooperation. May this month be the step-by-step process in achieving a sustainable community, and a sustainable environment, let this be our step,” he added.

Zero Waste Month is an advocacy that promotes the designing and managing of products and the processes to avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste, and materials. It is also defined as a goal that is ethical, economical, efficient and visionary to guide people in having a resourceful lifestyle, in which discarded materials can be re-designed as resources for others to use. Zero-Waste Month is also pursuant to Republic Act (RA) 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management (ESWM) 2000. (DENR-6)