True to its environmental commitment, UPLB, together with other members of the Los Baños Science Community Foundation, Inc. (LBSCFI) had a meaningful weekend by setting up an e-waste collection drive on Sept. 16 at the UPLB Freedom Park.
The campaign collected 2,174 e-waste units during the activity that was held in celebration of Clean Up the World Weekend 2023 and as part of the Environmental Program (EnviPro) of UPLB.
Members of the LBSCFI Environment Committee and student volunteers from the UP Ecology and Systematics Major Students Society, UPLB Environmental Science Society, and UP League of Agricultural Chemistry Students also dedicated their Saturday to the environment.
Collective community effort stood out during the activity as each member organization contributed to the event. While tents and trucks were provided by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, the members of the LBSCFI Environment Committee provided donors with tokens of appreciation. Meanwhile, the student volunteers rolled up their sleeves to provide manpower support.
The UPLB Housing Office (UHO) also extended its support by deploying some of its personnel who helped with the collection. Simultaneously, UHO also celebrated Clean Up the World Weekend 2023 with a clean-up drive that was participated in by UPLB housing beneficiaries in staff housing blocks.
The initiative sought to address the challenge of managing the increasing amount of e-waste at the community level.
A report by the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) suggested that e-waste accumulation is a rising global concern. According to the United Nations Global E-Waste Monitor report, the Philippines is among Southeast Asia’s top e-waste generators, yielding approximately 3.9 kg of e-waste per capita in 2019.
According to Engr. Paulo C. Altoveros, pollution control officer of UPLB and member of the LBSCFI Environment Committee, e-waste can present risks to the environment if not properly managed. To ensure proper disposal, the e-waste collected during the drive will be handed over to a DENR-EMB accredited service provider and treatment facility.
Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Roberto P. Cereno thanked the LBSCFI members and student volunteers who took the initiative to successfully implement the activity. He said that UPLB is open to partnership with other organizations and institutions on campus to implement the university’s core community programs, like the UPLB EnviPro, in line with UPLB’s public service function. UPLB is among the founding members of the LBSCFI, which consists of public agencies and private development institutions within the Los Baños community. LBSCFI fosters knowledge sharing and S&T transfer among its members and stakeholders. (Roi Mojado)