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Filipino villagers swap trash for rice in fight against plastics

Published 09/12/2019, 02:02 PM
Updated 09/12/2019, 02:10 PM
Filipino villagers swap trash for rice in fight against plastics

MANILA, Sept 12 (Reuters) - A village in the Philippines is
trying to tackle the scourge of plastic waste by offering rice
to residents in exchange for their trash.
Residents of Bayanan outside the capital, Manila, can get
one kg (2.2 lb) of rice, the staple food for Filipinos, for
every two kg of plastic waste, which are handed over to the
government for proper disposal or recycling.
The Southeast Asian nation is among the world's top marine
plastic polluters, studies show, with laws on solid waste poorly
enforced and no regulations on packaging manufacturing.
"I weighed in at 14 kilos of residuals, so I got 7 kilos of
rice grains. This is a big help for us to have one kilo of rice
for the day," Veronica Dolorico, a 49-year-old supporter of the
programme, told Reuters.
"I feel that our surroundings are really dirty. If only I
could, I would pick up all the plastics along the road when I
walk outside," she added.
One kg of rice costs about 30-40 pesos ($0.70), which is
costly in a country with a fast-growing economy, but high rates
of urban and rural poverty.
One-fifth of the population of 107 million people live below
the national poverty line, with monthly consumption of less than
$241 per person.
Bayanan collected more than 213 kg of sachets, bottles and
plastic bags in August, said village chief Andor San Pedro,
adding the food-for-trash swap is teaching people how to
properly dispose of their waste.

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