LAOAG CITY — Local officials and residents here gathered plastic wastes, bottles and other non-biodegradable materials scattered along the shoreline of Masintoc village on Saturday morning.
Mayor Jessie Galano said it has been a tradition of village folks in coastal areas to clean their surroundings specially on September 16th of each year, in support of the 32nd International Coastal Cleanup.
He lamented that despite strict implementation of the municipal solid waste management ordinance, some picnickers along the beach still leave their garbage behind.
In cooperation with personnel of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), the local government unit here enjoined all stakeholders to help clean the ocean.
A study abroad showed plastics had been found in 62 percent of all dead sea birds and 100 percent in sea turtle species. This is also the case in the coastline of Paoay town.
During typhoons, plastic wastes from neighboring towns go to the low-lying areas of Paoay.
Among those commonly found garbage are styrofor plates, plastic cups, bottles and sanitary napkins. (PNA)
