Electronics, Instrumentation and Control and Mechatronics Engineering Department

LESSEN PLASTIC WASTE BY 3R'S "REDUCE, REUSE, AND

RECYCLE" PROJECT

Summary

The 3 R's of the environment: reduce, reuse, and recycle, have been around for a while,
yet many people have become complacent in their implementation.Reducing waste means
choosing to use things with care to reduce the amount of waste generated. Reusing refers to the
recurrent use of items or parts of items that are still usable. The term "recycling" refers to the use
of garbage as a resource. Waste minimization can be accomplished more efficiently by
concentrating on the first of the 3Rs, "reduce," then "reuse," and finally "recycle." Our group
discussed with each other about reducing waste, reusing, and recycling resources. So, we think
about a place where we can apply our project for us to make sure if it is effective, also to
enhance the cleanliness of the community.

Environmental Problem

Plastic pollution is one of the major problems in the world including our country. One of
the places affected by this crisis is in Lipa City, Batangas. One of the causes of this issue is the
improper disposing of plastic.

Since this place is the center of commerce in the town, the problem is relevant to this
place. This place has the most establishments compared to other cities nearby, because
establishments are here. With this, it is possible that the plastic pollution will occur in this area if
the garbage were not placed in its proper garbage bins. Furthermore, this pollution can harm
humans and nature when the problem continues to occur.

Part II.

The 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, is a waste management hierarchy which shows the
order of action necessary for the reduction and management of waste. Commonly depicted as the
triangular three chasing arrows, it aims to maximize the benefits that one may get from a product
so as to minimize the waste (Dayrit, 2019). Single-use products are least favored in this Green
urban initiative because it needs to be disposed of after use, hence single-use. Republic Act 9003,
also known as Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, is the current basis for waste
management programs in the Philippines. It aims to provide protection of the public health and
the environment. This law paved the way for the establishment of the National Solid Waste
Management Commission (NSWMC), which manages the application of waste management
plans and policies, and mandates the “Materials Recovery Facilities” by local government units,
thereby promoting waste segregation and recycling (Schroeder, 2020). Republic Act 6969, also
known as “Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990” promotes
the 3R through the mandation of factories to manage and segregate hazardous waste and uphold
recycling, as well as establishing guidelines on the import and export of recyclable materials.
Barangays all over the country are mandated to practice the 3Rs by the National government, but
only an estimated 30% of the total 42,045 barangays in the Philippines are actually implementing
waste segregation and management (Manila Standard, 2020).

Benefits of the 3Rs as waste management initiative include pollution and greenhouse gas
reduction (by reducing the need to harvest and process raw materials for industrial purposes),
conservation of energy, encourages sustainability, waste reduction, climate change mitigation,
saves money (by selling or reusing materials), and spreads environmental awareness (Brejakova,
2018). An instance of the 3Rs benefiting the local community is the restoration and sustainability
of the diverse marine ecosystem of the Philippines through the initiative of Kapunungan sa
Gamay Nga Mangingisda sa Concepcion (KGMC) (Taculao, 2021). They had done this by
spreading awareness on the reduction of harvesting raw materials which end up as pollutants in
the bodies of water. Trash traps implemented in Central Luzon have helped in clearing 124 tons
of waste in rivers (Tecson, 2021) but by implementing 3Rs, the problem in excessive waste
generation will be addressed from its roots. 3R initiatives have also generated livelihoods such as
in the case of junk shops and non-government organizations, which creates sustainable materials
such as eco bricks therefore addressing the problems with waste management and high housing
costs in the Philippines (Legaspi, 2021; Xinhua, 2019). Meanwhile, disadvantages include high
upfront costs in implementation, hygiene problems in recycling sites, issues of durability of
recycled products, unknown contamination due to breakdown of recycled products, increased
processing costs, stricter implementation of related laws are needed before actual effects can be
seen, and ironically, 3R projects result in more pollution and energy consumption due to the
processing and logistics of recycled materials (Kukreja, 2020). These issues then impede the
existing and potential projects that implement the 3R as seen in the data above where only 30%
of total barangays in the country actually exercise the 3Rs. This subjects this Green initiative to
the question of whether or not the advantages offset the disadvantages.

Part III.

Lipa City, Batangas made a project which is for cleanliness and orderliness. Because it is
a simple project, we want to encourage all the individuals to enhance and embrace the
cleanliness project to the town.

We shall see how solid wastes are a significant issue that we face today. Lack of garbage
bins is one of the primary causes of this, and as a result, people lose discipline when it comes to
proper waste disposal, which has a significant influence on our water and land resources, or in
short, on our ecosystem. So, this is the core of our green initiative project, which concentrates on
how we are going to preserve and upgrade the city of Lipa.

The 3R's "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" initiative is our proposed project. Will focuses on
some fun and inventive ways to get everyone to properly dispose of their trash in the appropriate
bin. The goal of this initiative is to assist the city of Lipa in Batangas, which is currently
experiencing and dealing with cleanliness project. This initiative will only succeed with the
support of the residents of the place, who have agreed to be a part of it. Since 3R's "Reduce,
Reuse, and Recycle" initiative, we are going to enhance this project in terms of consistency. In
addition, everyone who follows the 3R's "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" project would be given
incentives. To persuade them to make it a practice of properly disposing of trash in the
appropriate trash can. The town will surely help in terms of cleanliness and orderliness project
for the community. But not just the residents of Lipa will help but for sure the people from other
cities will cooperate too with the project. Because having a clean and order community is a safe
and happy place for everyone.

In order to boost the effectiveness of the project, our group decided to put some twist to
the 3R’s being proposed. For those who are following the proposed project will be rewarded with
cash prizes. Our idea is inspired by the existing projects that we all heard of which is the “May
pera sa basura”. In addition, in order to make to make it more exciting and engaging, we will
suggest our idea to the head of Lipa City which that idea is to have a contest in terms of using the
recycled trashes as a decorative and relevant materials for the surroundings in lipa. The one who
has the wittiest creation will receive a huge cash prize that is enough to encourage everyone
who’s living there to participate. Through this, Lipa city will be cleaner and decorative
community to live in. We are sure that this idea will be very effective because we know that in
today’s time which is in pandemic, people are desperate to have money due to the fact that it is
difficult to survive this pandemic without it. In addition, money is very essential to the human
life, we could buy anything that we like through it. We will use the huge cash prize as bait to lure
people for doing the proposed project in a fun, engaging and in a way where they could earn cash
for their daily wants and needs.

Resources:
Brejakova, D. (2018, June 18). 3Rs And its effects. Climate Change The New Economy.
https://climatechange-theneweconomy.com/3rs-and-its-effects/

Dayrit, F. M. (2019). The Management of Plastic: The 3Rs are Not Enough. Philippine Journal
of Science, 148(4), 7–8.
https://philjournalsci.dost.gov.ph/images/pdf/pjs_pdf/vol148no4/editorial_for_PJS_4th_Qtr_201
9_Final_Copy.pdf

Kukreja, R. (2020, July 4). Advantages and Disadvantages of Recycling. Conserve Energy
Future. https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-
recycling.php

Legaspi, J. (2021, April 21). Got plastic bags and bubble wrap? JuanBag will pick them up to
recycle. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/21/got-plastic-bags-and-bubble-wrap-
juanbag-will-pick-them-up-to-recycle/

Manila Standard. (2020, February 14). ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ government program a failure
— Gatchalian. Manila Standard. https://manilastandard.net/news/national/317361/-reduce-reuse-
recycle-government-program-a-failure-gatchalian.html

Schroeder, P. (2020, February). Regional: Supporting Implementation of EnvironmentRelated

Sustainable Development Goals in Asia and the Pacific (Philippine Subproject) (No. 50158–
001). Asian Development Bank.
https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-documents/50158/50158-001-tacr-en_0.pdf
Taculao, P. B. (2021, October 13). Award-winning fisherman shares his journey towards
empowering his community by creating a sustainable marine environment. Manila Bulletin.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/10/15/award-winning-fisherman-shares-his-journey-towards-
empowering-his-community-by-creating-a-sustainable-marine-environment/

Tecson, Z. (2021, May 24). Trash traps collect 124 tons of waste along rivers in C. Luzon.
Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1141319

Xinhua. (2019, October 18). PH engineers build ecobricks with plastic waste. The Manila Times.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2019/10/19/business/green-business/ph-engineers-build-ecobricks-
with-plastic-waste/643425