Bulacan gov't, telco partner vs e-waste

The provincial government of Bulacan is stepping up its efforts to curb abuses against the environment by expanding its Green Line anti-pollution project. Launched in mid-2010, the Green Line project was initially a dedicated 24-hour call and text facility where tipsters can report violations of environmental laws and policies. During its primary stages, the project was used in the province's bid to revive the Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando River System, touted to be one of the 30 most polluted places in the world. In its recent expansion, however, the project now covers the proper disposal of old mobile phones and batteries within the province. In a statement, Green Line project partner Globe Telecom Inc. said they are stepping up their efforts in realization of the enormous threat that electronic wastes pose to the environment. "In line with our Green Line project in Bulacan, we are accepting old and defective cell phones through our recycling bins deployed in various places," said Globe Corporate Communications Head Yoly Crisanto. For the project, recycling bins will be placed in the provincial capitol of Bulacan as well as in major universities in the province. The e-wastes will then be collected and donated to a facility which will then turn them into useful and marketable products such as plates, umbrellas and jewelry. "Recycling mobile phones not only conserves resources but also prevents air and water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions," Crisanto added. With newer models released by mobile phone manufacturers each year, the average life span of a cell phone has now been reduced to less than 18 months, the telecom provider said. This means an average of 140 million mobile phones and their batteries are added to the world's pool of toxic wastes every year. On average, disposed cellular phones account for as much as 65,000 tons of toxic wastes dumped each year, with roughly 2.5 million phones and batteries dumped into landfills around the world each week. —JMT/TJD, GMA News