Envi group promotes Reuse and Repurpose over Post-BSKE Campaign Material Wastes

November 3, 2023

Environmental group BAN Toxics promoting zero waste calls the attention of the public to reuse and repurpose collected BSKE campaign materials to minimize post-election trash and prevent toxic and waste pollution.

Last October, the group appealed to all candidates to conduct post-election clean-ups to minimize trash, and promote a clean, peaceful, toxic-free, and waste-free election. In accordance with Comelec Resolution 10924, states that within five (5) days after the elections and without need of notice, the candidates shall remove or cause to remove all their election propaganda at the expense of the candidate for whose apparent benefit the election propaganda materials have been produced, displayed, and disseminated.

“We appeal to all candidates, win or lose, to remove and collect all campaign materials in every street and to adhere for environmental protection by promoting reuse and repurpose to lessen election trash,” said Thony Dizon, Toxics Campaigner of BAN Toxics.

To promote zero waste, a volunteer mother of BAN Toxics creatively sewed various BSKE campaign materials to showcase how tarpaulins can be reused and repurposed. This includes non-food multi-purpose storage box, plant boxes, and a laundry bag.

The group limited its samples to mainly multi-purpose use only and not intended to reuse nor repurpose for children and pregnant women as the PVC materials contain toxic cadmium that is hazardous to human health.

Cadmium is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the “ten chemicals of major public health concern” along with arsenic, asbestos, dioxins, lead, mercury and other highly hazardous substances. It is known to have toxic effects on the kidney, skeletal system, respiratory system, and is classified as a human carcinogen.

BAN Toxics reiterated that this is only a stop-gap solution to prevent post-election waste and lessen the volume of trash in the community.

“We urge the COMELEC to consider banning the use of plastic and PVC tarpaulin as campaign materials in every election in the country to protect human health and the environment from plastic pollution,” said BAN Toxics.