Manila, Oct. 25 (BNA): A group of Philippine recyclers are trying to ease the country’s worsening plastic waste crisis by converting single-use bottles, bags and snack wrappers that clog rivers and spoil beaches into building materials.
Plastic flamingos, or “The Plaf,” as they are popularly known, collect waste, shred it and then shape it into poles and panels called “ecological wood” that can be used for fencing, decking, or even to create disaster-relief shelters.
“(It is) 100 percent recycled, made from 100 percent waste plastic materials, we also include some additives and colorants and it’s rot and maintenance free and splinters free,” said Erica Reyes, chief operating officer of Plaf Officer, According to Reuters.
Having collected more than 100 tons of plastic waste so far, the social enterprise is doing its work to tackle a local problem that has global repercussions.
Nearly 80% of global ocean plastic comes from Asian rivers, and the Philippines alone contributes a third of that total, according to the 2021 Oxford University of Oxford report Our World in Data.
However, COVID-19 has made the fight against plastic waste even more difficult.
About 300 million tons of plastic waste is generated annually, according to the United Nations Environment Program, a problem exacerbated by the pandemic that has sparked a rush for plastic face shields, gloves, takeaway food containers and bubble wrap with an increase in online shopping.
“People don’t know how to get rid of these plastics,” said Alison Tan, Plaf’s marketing coordinator.
“We give this way that instead of putting it in landfills or the oceans…we give it to recycling centers like us and we’ll recycle it into better products.”
In addition to tackling waste problems, the group says it is in talks with other NGOs to help rebuild hurricane-damaged homes using sustainable building materials.
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