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STAY SAFE, PROPERLY SEGREGATE WASTE. Environmental Management Specialist Ricky Sibbaluca of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Region 2 encouraged the public to properly separate healthcare waste from other solid wastes to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
 
“This COVID-19 pandemic, we have identified healthcare waste as additional type of waste collected by the local government units (LGUs),” said Sibbaluca in his interview over DWPE Radyo Pilipinas in celebration of the Zero Waste Month this January.
 
He said medical waste such as face masks, face shields, gloves and other personal protective equipment are already considered infectious and should be properly segregated. “These type of wastes should be placed in any yellow bin for proper identification of collectors,” he added.
 
In celebration of the 21st year of Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, the EMB will distribute yellow trash bins to LGUs to advocate for proper segregation of healthcare-related waste.
 
“These hazardous wastes need to undergo proper handling, storage, treatment and disposal, unlike other residual wastes that go directly to sanitary landfills,” Sibbaluca further explained.
 
Meanwhile, he also emphasized the agency’s advocacy for waste diversion in the forms of recycling and upcycling to help decrease waste generation.
 
He commended the efforts of LGUs and Sangguniang Kabataan members who conduct solid waste management drives by exchanging recyclable wastes with rice, grocery items, or school supplies.#