Junkyard?

Junkyard?

Chelyn Torejas

The Increasing concerns about the environment have persuaded some to act upon it while to some extent have unleashed protests to the underlying causes.

Despite the progressing number of programs and laws designed to protect the environment, still the problem of pollution along with waste mismanagement is spreading widely and potentially harmful.

Japan and the Philippine Governments have made a treaty labeled as the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) and is expected to go in effect before the end of 2007.

The agreement has empowered more Filipino healthcare professionals to land a job as workers in the Japanese economy. Among other things, the treaty has also allowed the country to collect tariff on the 11,300 commodities from Japan, in which 141 items are marked as environmentally sensitive. These include medical wastes and muddy deposits among other matters.

But what are we supposed to do with these wastes? Isn’t the country has enough?

Environmentalists are still aiding the Guimaras oil spill, which once have turned some

parts of Visayas waters into a polluted flammable wastewater.

Philippines has witnessed the booming industry of used clothings or the “ukay-ukay” business as best called in our own lingo. Secondhand cars imported from neighboring countries are also a hit to the society.

Though used and considered secondhand, Filipinos with built-in ingenuity behavior have surprisingly managed to utilize matters of all sorts.

. A cement company even plans to utilize the Guimaras oil spill into an industrial fuel.

Toxic substances such as cyanide, mercury and asbestos have benign uses for the society to recycle.

An important way to fight waste mismanagement is for the individuals to learn the effect of their every action. This is another way of producing individuals who can make responsible choices to reduce damage.

If the water can be turned into wine, why can’t a mess be brought back into use? Every mess has a message: recycle, segregate and make your part because every individual effort counts.