OUR COUNTRY IS NOT A DUMPING GROUND
ni Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.
Our country's problem on waste disposal is very much alarming. Many people suffer from diseases caused by these wastes. Most of us, especially those in the government, tolerate waste importation. If you can observe, our country has several problems regarding waste disposal. That is not enough. Our country imports toxic waste under the guise of cheap recyclable materials, such as lead, battery scrap and the like. Now I ask: Why should we take care of someone else's waste and then worry about how it will be properly disposed of?
Despite a national ban on the entry of hazardous waste in our country, the Philippines became a favorite dumping site for scrap lead acid batteries. According to Greenpeace, our country has imported container van. Greenpeace also revealed that these batteries were processed in factories far below ORCD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) environmental and occupational health standards. They also found lead contamination on soil, river sediment and vegetation around the so-called "leading recyclers" far above Australian and other OECD countries' standards.
Metal battery scraps, plastic containers, computer junks and ash from incinerators were among the hazardous wastes that these foreigners dump here. These contain dangerous amount of chemical elements and compounds like lead, mercury, cadmium and the like. These waste materials cause dangerous effects on human beings.
Just recently, Greenpeace conducted blood tests on 35 children between the ages 2 to 15 from around the plant of the Philippine Recyclers, Inc. (PRI) in Marilao, Bulacan. Experts from UP College of Public Health assisted Greenpeace in that activity. On the other hand, the PRI is a major lead battery smelter which processes lead acid batteries coming mostly from developed countries such as Australia and Japan. Greenpeace found that majority of the children sampled have elevated blood lead levels ranging from 8 ug/dL (micrograms per deciliter) to as high as 29 ug/dL.
These levels of toxic exposures are definitely high for children and could damage their young bodies. People living near factories such as PRI have complained of ash falling in their wells and on their food that cause them to cough blood and have stomach cramps. Lead poisoning causes mental retardation, decrease in IQ, psychological disturbances, reading disorders, impaired hearing and even deformities among children. Ah, how lucky are some of us living in the city, as we are not exposed to these environmental hazards. Lucky? How about pollution?
Western industrialized nations are targeting Asian countries like the Philippines to become their toxic dumping site. Maybe, these countries view us as a very weak nation. That's why they are doing this. Now, if we will analyze the situation more carefully, both the importer and the exporter of these wastes can make profit. Industrialized nations, while getting rid of their hazardous wastes, can save the cost of expensive sanitary disposal. Poor nation, like ours, where recycling factories import cheap trash, can extract small amounts of usable plastic or metals. However, the consequences to human life and the environment are staggering. Industries will not be forced to cut waste and look for cleaner technologies as long as they have access to cheap and easy dumping sites and are not legally and morally prosecuted by law. For them, profits and self-interest are their top priorities. It’s high time to put an end to these practices.
In our present world where the capitalists rule, these wastes were sent by industrialized countries to places where disposal and processing cost is cheaper. They go to poor countries which are relatively weak when it comes to opposing waste trade. Now, if we will be vigilant enough to oppose importation of waste, the lead acid battery manufacturing industry would be forced to make these processes clean. That is by eliminating the use of lead in batteries.
We must be fully aware that these toxic wastes are being imported by our country under the guise of cheap recyclable materials. These dangerous materials were brought here in our country probably because they think that these are too dirty for industrialized countries to be adapted.
The toxic waste problem is not just a controversial issue of worldwide importance. This problem plagues poor countries like us because of legal loopholes and the laxity of implementing the laws, inability to check the dangers it will cause and the absence of a truly united front to face the problem.
Our local authorities should strictly enforce the law, especially RA 6969, which clearly states the prohibition of entry of hazardous wastes and their disposal in Philippine territory, regardless of purpose. If we really care for the future of the next generation, we should be vigilant enough in addressing this problem.
- The Featinean folio, Summer 1997, pages 49-51
ni Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.
Our country's problem on waste disposal is very much alarming. Many people suffer from diseases caused by these wastes. Most of us, especially those in the government, tolerate waste importation. If you can observe, our country has several problems regarding waste disposal. That is not enough. Our country imports toxic waste under the guise of cheap recyclable materials, such as lead, battery scrap and the like. Now I ask: Why should we take care of someone else's waste and then worry about how it will be properly disposed of?
Despite a national ban on the entry of hazardous waste in our country, the Philippines became a favorite dumping site for scrap lead acid batteries. According to Greenpeace, our country has imported container van. Greenpeace also revealed that these batteries were processed in factories far below ORCD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) environmental and occupational health standards. They also found lead contamination on soil, river sediment and vegetation around the so-called "leading recyclers" far above Australian and other OECD countries' standards.
Metal battery scraps, plastic containers, computer junks and ash from incinerators were among the hazardous wastes that these foreigners dump here. These contain dangerous amount of chemical elements and compounds like lead, mercury, cadmium and the like. These waste materials cause dangerous effects on human beings.
Just recently, Greenpeace conducted blood tests on 35 children between the ages 2 to 15 from around the plant of the Philippine Recyclers, Inc. (PRI) in Marilao, Bulacan. Experts from UP College of Public Health assisted Greenpeace in that activity. On the other hand, the PRI is a major lead battery smelter which processes lead acid batteries coming mostly from developed countries such as Australia and Japan. Greenpeace found that majority of the children sampled have elevated blood lead levels ranging from 8 ug/dL (micrograms per deciliter) to as high as 29 ug/dL.
These levels of toxic exposures are definitely high for children and could damage their young bodies. People living near factories such as PRI have complained of ash falling in their wells and on their food that cause them to cough blood and have stomach cramps. Lead poisoning causes mental retardation, decrease in IQ, psychological disturbances, reading disorders, impaired hearing and even deformities among children. Ah, how lucky are some of us living in the city, as we are not exposed to these environmental hazards. Lucky? How about pollution?
Western industrialized nations are targeting Asian countries like the Philippines to become their toxic dumping site. Maybe, these countries view us as a very weak nation. That's why they are doing this. Now, if we will analyze the situation more carefully, both the importer and the exporter of these wastes can make profit. Industrialized nations, while getting rid of their hazardous wastes, can save the cost of expensive sanitary disposal. Poor nation, like ours, where recycling factories import cheap trash, can extract small amounts of usable plastic or metals. However, the consequences to human life and the environment are staggering. Industries will not be forced to cut waste and look for cleaner technologies as long as they have access to cheap and easy dumping sites and are not legally and morally prosecuted by law. For them, profits and self-interest are their top priorities. It’s high time to put an end to these practices.
In our present world where the capitalists rule, these wastes were sent by industrialized countries to places where disposal and processing cost is cheaper. They go to poor countries which are relatively weak when it comes to opposing waste trade. Now, if we will be vigilant enough to oppose importation of waste, the lead acid battery manufacturing industry would be forced to make these processes clean. That is by eliminating the use of lead in batteries.
We must be fully aware that these toxic wastes are being imported by our country under the guise of cheap recyclable materials. These dangerous materials were brought here in our country probably because they think that these are too dirty for industrialized countries to be adapted.
The toxic waste problem is not just a controversial issue of worldwide importance. This problem plagues poor countries like us because of legal loopholes and the laxity of implementing the laws, inability to check the dangers it will cause and the absence of a truly united front to face the problem.
Our local authorities should strictly enforce the law, especially RA 6969, which clearly states the prohibition of entry of hazardous wastes and their disposal in Philippine territory, regardless of purpose. If we really care for the future of the next generation, we should be vigilant enough in addressing this problem.
- The Featinean folio, Summer 1997, pages 49-51
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