PH Faces Health and Environmental Risks Amid Lack of Landfills

The Philippines is expected to move further towards urbanization as it grows and develops. Unfortunately, its solid waste infrastructure is unable to keep pace with the economic and population growth. Inadequate, over-filled dumpsites and landfills are causing various health and environmental problems.

Some of the serious environmental risks caused by waste overflow landfills are ground and surface water contamination, flooding, greenhouse gas production, air pollution, exposure to toxins and spread of disease. Many disposal sites across the country contain infectious material, threatening sanitation workers and waste pickers and, eventually the general public.

Tests of liquid runoff or leachate from Rodriguez and Payatas dump sites were found to contain high levels of contaminants. Most of the leachate seeps untreated into groundwatersources of drinking water and flows to the Marikina and Pasig River systems and Manila Bay. Landfills and dump sites, despite government’s efforts to situate them in areas far from population centers, still pose a threat to the health and the environment.

A lot of wastes, about one-third of solid waste generated in the cities, are often dumped indiscriminately and often end up clogging the drains, causing flooding and increase in the populations of rodents and other pests. The urban poor suffer most from life-threatening conditions resulting from uncollected garbage.

In this age of digitalization and technology, one of the innovative solutions for solid waste management is decentralization using pyrolysis technology. Pyrolysis is coined from the Greek terms pyro or fire and lysis or separating. It is the industrial process of breaking down large molecules of waste such as agricultural residues, scraps, tires, and non-recyclable materials into smaller molecules of gas, oil and carbon black. One of the by-product of pyrolysis technology is ash which can be mixed with aggregates for construction purposes.

Most importantly, people should realize that they play a huge role in solving the massive garbage problem in the Philippines. It should be the country’s goal to create an environment free of garbage, minimizing of waste disposal to landfill, educating the community and make them aware of their roles and responsibilities, and to involve the business community in solid waste management.

Pick One Piece of Trash and Save One Life #TravelResponsibly

#Ecowarriors, did you know that May is Ocean Month?

Apparently, the month of May is tagged as Ocean Month, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources or DENR. In 1995, then-President Fidel V. Ramos signed the Proclamation No. 75 which mandates the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Agriculture through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) to spearhead the activities of MOO (Month of the Ocean) in collaboration with the different sectors of the society. Relatively, this year marks its 16th year in our country. The month-long celebration aims to highlight the importance and significance of conservation, protection, and sustainable management of Philippine coastal and marine resources. As described in the DENR website, this year’s theme, "STAND UP, SAVE OUR REEFS" emphasizes the cause and effect relationship of our actions towards the environment and the ecosystem services and goods that the oceans provide to create a flourishing community. True to our vision and mission to conserve, preserve, and protect our environment, Eco Hotel Philippines is also launching a campaign called #travelresponsibly.

Under the #travelresponsibly campaign are activities that will persevere our desire to save Mother Earth by traveling responsibly.

This campaign also aims to educate our nation particularly the younger generation, travelers, tourists, that picking one piece of trash can save one life; could be a human being, an animal, or even save the lives of plants and trees. Hence the activity name, "pick one save one."

In a succinct manner, the "pick one save one" campaign is a clean-up drive in our properties in Bohol, Palawan, and Siargao. The #travelresponsibly campaign is also for our local properties in Makati, Tagaytay, and Mataasnakahoy, Batangas through a series of tours with our fellow #ecowarriors.

On June, we will be opening our properties to the public as a “refilling station” for shampoo, conditioner, and bath gels. The said items were made according to our strict compliance: ingredients should be eco-friendly and hypoallergenic.


Having to share all these information, are you willing to join this campaign? Come and support us! After all, we are all under one horizon.

Having to share all these information, are you willing to join this campaign? Come and support us! After all, we are all under one horizon.

For partnerships, please email us at marketing@ecohotels.com.ph.

Keep up to date by following us on social media: www.facebook.com/ecohotelph and IG: ecohotelph.

-------------------------------
About Eco Hotel Philippines

Eco Hotel Philippines is a company that is passionate about conservation, preservation, and protection of our environment. As a green service hotel, Eco Hotels ensures that Eco-friendly processes are implemented from construction to day-to-day operations. This is aligned with its advocacy of minimizing its impact on the environment while imparting practices of sustainability to their staff and guests.


We aim at implementing eco-tourism principles, the protection of the environment and its eco system, preservation of the natural and cultural heritage; to benefit the immediate community where it stands; by educating and giving employment to the locals and effectively convey the message to our guests that each one can be a part of the same mission to protect their environment.

*This is Press Release