The local government unit (LGU) of Cuenca, through the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO), has launched a program that turns used beverage cartons (UBCs) into new and salable materials, such as chairs, tables, mobile phone holders, board games, and other usable items.

The “Cartons for Communities: Sorters Support Program” is a partnership project with Tetra Pack, touted as a world-leading food processing and complete packaging solutions company.

In an interview on Friday, Cuenca MENRO head Jannzar Philip Aala said this project is the first in Batangas province and was realized because the mayor is determined to end the town’s solid waste management problem.

Mayor Alex Magpantay led the project’s launch alongside Catherine Chua, sustainability manager of Tetra Pak, and Sheila Gomez from GNS Enterprises, another partner in its implementation.

“The main concept of this project is to let the public know that UBCs are considered recyclable items, and this helps a lot in reducing our residual waste,” Aala said.

Beyond its environmental impact, the project aims to help “community sorters” supplement their household incomes.

To safeguard their health, 16 sets of personal protective equipment from Tetra Pak were distributed to the sorters at the Central Material Recovery Facility Ground in Barangay Dalipit East.

It was explained that these sorters have to dig through rubbish to recover the discarded material to be recycled.

For their efforts, the sorters can purchase roughly 1 kg. of groceries for every 300 kg. of UBC they can collect.

“This program is our response to the national government’s call to implement RA (Republic Act) 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000,” Aala said.

He noted that the project is also in line with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ 10-year solid waste management plans for LGUs.

With this initiative, the volume of residual waste collection, primarily on UBCs dumped in the municipal sanitary landfill, will be reduced.

This also provides an innovative approach to increase waste diversion and technology-based solutions in reducing the solid waste pollution that comes from unsegregated waste.

“We hope that the public will practice proper segregation and disposal for the protection and conservation of the town,” Aala said. (PNA)