Manila launches incentive program for plastic waste collection 

The city government of Manila launched an incentive program to support waste collection under the “Kolek, Kilo, Kita para Walastik sa Maynila” program.

It will be the first and widest incentivized collection program for flexible plastic waste under Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso’s “May Pera sa Basura” agenda, in partnership with the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC), Unilever Philippines, Cemex and Republic Cement which aims to address proper waste disposal in the country.

Under the program, residents will not be compensated in monetary form, but they will be getting products from Unilever Philippines.

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They are encouraged to collect plastic wastes such as shampoo sachets, candy wrappers and junk food packaging -regardless of its brand, as long as these are recyclable.

In return, the residents will get P10-worth of homecare products from Unilever Philippines for every kilo of collected wastes.

According to Unilever Philippines chairman and chief executive officer Benjie Yap, the plastic waste will be collected once or twice a month from the collection centers that will be installed in every barangay.

All the collected plastic wastes will be turned over to Cemex and Republic Cement. The discarded plastics will be used for an alternative waste management solution in which plastic wastes are converted into fuels.

Yap said the organizations will collect and process plastic wastes more than their sales by year 2025.

The program will be conducted and piloted at 36 barangays of Tondo and Punta, Sta. Ana, Manila, where most communities live near the creek-nearby lining Manila Bay.