KALINISAN KARABAN. Pangasinenses pose during the launch of the Kalinisan Karaban January last year. The project of the provincial government aims to reduce plastic wastes on the streets and encourage the residents to segregate their wastes. (Photo courtesy of Pangasinan's official Facebook page)
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- The provincial government of Pangasinan has collected some 86,000 kilograms of plastic wastes, which will be recycled into different products, since the launch of its “Kalinisan Karaban” or “plastic wastes for goods” advocacy project last year.
In a forum Monday, general services officer Evan Gladish Domalanta said the collected plastic wastes were from the 26 municipalities and cities in the province.
Pangasinenses exchanged their plastic wastes to different goods, including cellphone load, school supplies and groceries, she said.
“The plastics were brought to Metro Clark for recycling since our automatic bricks assembly machine is not yet operational,” she added.
Kalinisan Karaban was initiated by Governor Amado Espino III aimed at clearing the streets of Pangasinan of plastic wastes and encouraging love for the environment through segregation, especially among the children.
Domalanta said the Kalinisan Karaban store truck, which started going around the province last year, operates in a designated place where residents can bring their segregated wastes, such as plastic containers, shampoo sachets, sando bags and candy wrappers, which will be weighed and exchanged with goods.
“Every kilo of plastic wastes is equivalent to PHP15, which they could use to buy goods from our store truck,” she said.
The plastic wastes, she added, should be separated from wrappers and sando bags.
The collection and trading of plastic to goods were done on a weekly basis in close coordination with barangay officials and Sangguniang Kabataan of every community.
Domalanta said the project was institutionalized through Provincial Ordinance 32-2019 by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) on March 4 last year.
“It is the aim of the province to institutionalize public participation in the implementation of the Kalinisan Karaban program through the promotion of individual responsibility towards reusing, reducing, and recycling of household plastic wastes,” Provincial Ordinance 32-2019 stated.
Upon its institutionalization, funding worth PHP1.5 million was provided for the project. (PNA)
