The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has launched a national initiative to collect and recycle campaign materials following the conclusion of the country’s midterm elections, with implications for long-term waste management policy.
Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga said the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and its field offices will spearhead the clean-up, partnering with civic groups like Green Convergence to reduce the environmental footprint of discarded plastics, posters, and tarpaulins. Loyzaga urged public participation in the initiative and called on citizens to help ensure materials are properly collected and repurposed.
“The upside of this initiative is profound,” Loyzaga said, noting that recycling election materials not only protects biodiversity and waterways but also promotes community-level reuse and economic opportunities.
DENR assistant secretary and EMB director Jacqueline Caancan directed regional EMB offices to complete the clean-up and collection efforts by 17 May or five days after the polls. Offices are also tasked with reporting volumes of recovered materials and coordinating drop-off points with local governments.
This marks a policy push by the DENR to address the recurring post-election waste issue, signaling potential future regulations aimed at minimizing the environmental impact of political campaigns.
