UP Diliman (UPD) continues its thrust towards sustainability.

Recently, over a ton of recyclable waste, much of it paper and metal, was collected and processed by the UPD Environmental Management Office (DEMO).

A few days before the collection date, DEMO, on its Facebook page, asked the UPD constituents and surrounding communities to segregate their recyclables and single-use plastics at home. These they could sell at the designated booth set up at the corner of JP Laurel and Roces streets (near the post office). Meanwhile, a truck collected materials at predesignated points along Magsaysay Avenue.

DEMO data revealed that of the 1,393.4 kilograms of recyclables collected, 66 percent (some 919 kilograms) were paper materials such as copy paper, old newspapers, cardboard/corrugated boxes, books, and magazines.

These were followed by metal materials such as beverage cans, corrugated metal sheets, food cans, which comprised 19 percent (264 kilograms) of the total collection.

The rest of the collected materials were composed of recyclable plastics (8%), glass (5%), and single-use plastics (2%).

The waste materials were collected during the 2022 Recyclables and Single-Use Plastic Wastes Drop-off and Collection Drive.

The collection drive was a collaboration between DEMO and the Quezon City Environment Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc. (QCEMPCI/Linis-Ganda).

The program aims to promote good household waste management practices and raise awareness regarding waste minimization among UPD constituents. This will help reduce the volume of household and commercial wastes the Quezon City government collects on campus.

This was the second DEMO–QCEMPCI collaboration. The first was on Sept. 24 where 567.6 kilograms of materials were collected at the booth set up at Purok Aguinaldo corner Hardin ng Rosas.

DEMO Director James Christopher Buño confirmed that while the program was primarily aimed at UPD constituents, the booth also accepted materials from surrounding barangays.  

He hopes that the collection drive will eventually become a monthly activity, with the booth locations alternating between the post office and the Hardin ng Rosas.

“Target naming maging regular [activity] siya. After nito, ina-arrange na namin iyong schedule for November, December, and January, at least once a month. Ang target namin, i-alternate between here at saka iyong area doon sa may Hardin ng Rosas,” he said. The 2022 Recyclables and Single-Use Plastic Wastes Drop-off and Collection Drive was held on Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. — With reports from Bino Gamba and DEMO