BAGUIO CITY – The University of the Philippines campus in Baguio (UPB) and Burnham-Legarda barangay contributed 186.2 kilograms of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) as collected last August 14 by personnel of the Wastewater and Hazardous Waste Management Division – City Environment and Parks Management Office (WHWMD – CEPMO).
With the collection led by CEPMO Assistant head Engr. Marivic Empizo, the UP e-waste bin yielded 57 items with a total weight of 43 kilograms of cell phone accessories, computer mouse, routers, keyboards, video controller, chargers, adaptors, speakers, tablets, laptops and others.
According to Engr. Ronaldo Ballecer, Pollution Control Officer (PCO) of the Bakakeng Central Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), as these e-wastes from the academe are data-bearing devices (such as hard drives from tablets, laptops), said items will be secured and physically destroyed to ensure the irretrievable loss of any confidential information. Procedures are done at the Bakakeng Treatment, Storage and Disposal (TSD) – MRF.
From Burnham-Legarda barangay led by Punong Barangay Teodoro Castro, 28 items with total weight of 143.2 kg of household e-waste was collected, including a cotton candy maker, electric kettle and airpot, VHS rewinder, printer, thermos, water dispenser, coffee maker, insect killer, assorted WEEE accessories and others. There were also 7 flat and CRT television sets which filled the 40-kg e-waste bin. All these e-wastes shall be processed at the Bakakeng TSD-MRF.
Meanwhile, a broken Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) from a small television was brought to the Bakakeng Central Facility by Kagawad Gerino Dollente as it was dumped among garbage at Crystal cave.
From the Baguio environment code, the dumping of WEEE is considered a violation wherein if the owner is traced, the act is punishable by a fine of P500 to P5,000 and/or imprisonment of one month and one day to six months, with fines increased by ten percent every three years to adjust for inflation. The code also requires offenders to immediately clean up, restore or repair the damages incurred. Other provisions are applicable to offending enterprises or companies.
Engr. Empizo, and CEPMO head Atty. Rhenan Diwas are reiterating calls for WEEE to be donated to e-waste bins in schools, barangay halls and other announced venues.
Schedules and venues are the following:
• every Monday morning, Cabinet Hill-Teachers Camp;
• every Last Saturday of the month, Burnham-Legarda barangay hall;
• every Saturday, 9AM to 4PM, Bayan Park, Bayan Park Village;
• every first Monday of the month; Salud Mitra barangay hall, basketball court;
• every Thursday, Dontogan barangay hall;
• every third Friday of the month, Lourdes Subdivision Extension multi-purpose hall;
• every last Thursday, Kabayanihan brgy hall.
Proper disposal of e-wastes are advocated, since if improperly disposed of, these are potentially harmful to human health and the environment due to the presence of toxic materials such as lead, mercury and brominated flame retardants. Accordingly, contaminants affect soil, air and water which cause health problems: respiratory, neurological damage and even cancers. Harmful chemicals could also be released when improper recycling methods such as burning are done.
Inquiries could be done with Mobile number 0961-028-8791 or 0956-086-1998 – Baguio City Public Information Office
