.
Around 300 million tonnes of plastic waste are produced annually, according to the United Nations Environment Programme, a problem that has been aggravated by the outbreak of COVID-19 which further generated a high demand for plastic face shields, single use plastics for containing foods, medical gloves and other instruments, and even bubble wrap as online shopping has increased. Approximately 80% of global ocean plastic emanates from Asian rivers, and the Philippines alone contributes a third of that total, according to a 2021 report by Oxford University’s Our World in Data.
The Philippines does not have a simple plan for confronting its plastic disposal problem and its environment department has said it has been in contact with several manufacturers lately to identify ways to cope with its plastic waste.
However, a group of recyclers in the Philippines are trying to ease the country’s deteriorating plastic waste crisis by turning plastic bottles, single-use sachets and snack food wrappers that further add to water and soil pollution into building materials.
The Plastic Flamingo, or “The Plaf”, as they are ordinarily known, collects the waste, shreds it and then moulds it into posts and planks called “eco-lumber” that can be used for fencing, decking or even to make disaster-relief shelters. It is believed to be 100% upcycled material and made completely out of plastic waste in which they add some additives and colourants to make it rot-free, splinter-free and maintenance-free.
The social enterprise is doing its bit to address this local problem that now has huge global implications.
Citizens of Philippines are well aware of this issue because of which when asked by this social enterprise to give their plastic waste so that they can upcycle it to make them into better products, they happily provide them.
The group says it is in talks with other non-governmental organisations to help rebuild houses that were destroyed by typhoons using their sustainable building materials.
Poosa Ramesh