Today marks the celebration of World Environment Day.
The theme of this year’s celebration according to the UNEP is “Recreate, Reimagine, Restore” which centers around ecosystem restoration. The environment has been exploited for far too long. Our affinity to overproduction and industrialization has proven to be detrimental to the environment as we take more than what’s sustainable. It’s high time that we do our best to reverse the degradation and deforestation.
BAN Toxics has years of experience fighting for environmental justice under their belt. BAN Toxics believes that sound chemicals and wastes management is important for the protection of both human health and the environment.
The organization has tirelessly pushed the Philippine government to curb mercury use in the country since 2007. BAN Toxics has partnered up with International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) and World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry to eradicate mercury use on dental restorative procedures in the Philippines. The group is also working on Compassionate Gold Technology to help transition artisanal and small-scale gold miners to mercury-free technologies to protect them and the environment from the negative effects of mercury.
BAN Toxics, with the support of Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, aims to address the prevalence of chemicals of concern in schools and school supplies through the Toxics Free Schools Program.
The group also continues to campaign for the ratification of the Basel Ban Amendment to protect the country from the adverse effects of hazardous wastes and illegal waste importation.
We at BAN Toxics believe that it is essential to protect both human health and the environment from the detrimental effects of environmental exploitation and degradation. We must fight harder to reverse the damage we have caused to the environment and ecosystem because of our affinity to overconsumption and industrialization.
Remember: the only world worth passing on to our children is toxics-free.
You may also check UNEP’s activities for World Environment Day here.