Cement makers urged to use plastic waste as ‘raw’ material
“EXPLORE more ways to utilize plastic waste as raw material to help reduce the country’s solid waste generation by at least 40%.”
This is the appeal of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) to cement makers in the country saying that their participation will dramatically reduce the volume of plastic waste.
DENR-EMB Director William Cuñado said that these plastic wastes will now be regarded as raw materials of the cement plants in their current processing.
“This measure will reduce by 40 to 60% the volume of plastic waste,” said Cuñado as he cited that several cement firms have already adopted the conversion of plastic waste into energy in the country.
He also stressed that the participation of the local government units (LGUs) through their solid waste management efforts will contribute to the decrease in plastic waste volume.
Cuñado noted that the conversion of plastic waste into raw material for cement plants will result in the reduction of plastic wastes generated in cities and municipalities.
Atty. Jonas Leones, DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Panning, and International Affairs and spokesperson, on the other hand, cited that the campaign materials made out of plastics that are used for the May 2022 elections can be recycled by cement plants.
“Plastic tarpaulins are also used in co-processing, in energy. These are mixed into cement as fillers; sometimes these are used to create pots,” Leones said.
“Plastic tarpaulins are melted to have some other products out of these plastics,” he added.
Leones also reiterated the continuing efforts of the DENR in addressing the problem of single-use plastics.
“The DENR has already approved the national plan of action to address the plastic litter and in addressing single-use plastics. We are supporting the principle of circular economy and extended producer responsibility or EPR,” Leones said.
“For us, we are just preparing the policy that would hopefully give incentives to the industries for them to avoid using single-use plastics,” he added.
