Bodies of water in RP becoming ‘floating landfills’ - group

MANILA, Philippines - Bodies of water in the Philippines are fast becoming “floating landfills” due to the number of non-biodegradable wastes that are being dumped into them daily, an environmental group said Monday. At the observance of World Ocean Day, the Ecological Waste Coalition (EcoWaste) reiterated its call for the protection of Philippine ocean from becoming “pollution hotspots.” “We urge for solidarity and action to (particularly) protect our ocean,” said Manny Calonzo of EcoWaste. “Plastics, in particular, are dumped daily into our oceans and other bodies of water; and thus, create floating landfills. Such bad habit makes our oceans become pollution hotspots,” he added. Aside from non-biodegradable trash, the EcoWaste said fertilizer and pesticide runoffs from farms as well as untreated effluents from residential, commercial and industrial establishments are also damaging and killing the marine ecosystems. Ben Galindo, of the Sagip Pasig Movement and EcoWaste, noted that the public, being “common beneficiaries” of ocean’s riches, should take part in protecting the bodies of water from garbage and pollution as well as harmful activities. He stressed that people must immediately shun “the bad habit of mindlessly dumping their discard into the ocean or other bodies of water.” “We can no longer put too small a price on the world’s ocean,” he said. The ocean is home to diverse creatures and ecosystems that provide humans not only food, but also vital ingredients for medicines and other products, the EcoWaste stressed. The ocean helps in regulating the climate as well as in spawning storms that bring fresh water needed by land-dwelling plants and animals. The ocean is also important for moving materials between continents and for creating jobs from related industries such as fishing, trade and tourism, the group likewise noted. - GMANews.TV