Eight years of medical waste incinerator-free Philippines, entertainment, politics and cause-oriented personalities unite to give a strong message against medical waste incineration and to remind the public not to forget about incineration that once harmed our air.
In a Public Service Announcement titled Incineration Harms. Burn Not, personalities the likes of actor/director Albert Martinez, events host Judah Paolo, WLS FM DJ Papa Dudut, gay lingo expert Bekimon, actress Say Alonzo, former Rep. Risa Hontiveros, celeb mom Suzi Abrera, tattoo artist Gene Testa, sculptor Salvador Joel Alonday, fashion designer Joel Acebuche, cyclist Chiqui Tronco, indie-pop band Bad Days for Mary, Philippine College of Physicians’ (PCP) Dr. Gina Nazareth, Framework Convention on Tobacco Control’s (FCAP) Dr. Maricar Limpin, Philippine Heart Center’s Dr. Manuel Chua Chiaco, environmentalist Gigie Cruz, child volunteer Buwan Lila Sajayon, filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik and running priest Fr. Robert Reyes gathered to give their message of how incineration and medical waste incineration are harmful to everyone.
“We are very pleased that they willingly volunteered their time to remind the people and the government, especially health officials of how incineration or burning of wastes, be it a regular waste or medical waste, is wrong,” said Merci Ferrer, Executive Director of Health Care Without Harm.
July 17 marks the 8th year anniversary of complete medical waste incineration ban in the Philippines following the approval of the Clean Air Act (CAA) in 1999.
“However, once in a while we still hear proposals to amend the CAA by re-allowing medical waste incineration,” said Ferrer. “There are likewise ‘incinerators-in-disguise’ projects that are being allowed by our government.”
“But our message is clear. Wastes do not disappear after burning them. Burning the wastes create toxic problems. As a matter of fact residues like fly ash and bottom ash which are highly hazardous are produced during incineration,” Ferrer pointed out.
The ashes are dumped into landfills leaving it at the mercy of scavengers and communities nearby who may not be aware that it is hazardous.
The PSA also wants to remind the government, hospital managers and the general public that incineration wastes more resources. According to Ferrer, the Philippines has been paying US$2 million annually from 2001 and is set to pay until 2014 for a defunct medical waste incineration loan project. The payment instead should be rechanneled to other health care needs and services.
The Philippine and Austrian Governments entered into a P503 million Austrian Medical Waste Incinerator Project loan that provided incinerators to 26 public hospitals around the country to help in the proper disposal of medical waste. In 1999, however, the Philippines successfully banned the use of incinerators for general wastes and subsequently the use of incinerators for medical waste in 2003. The country remains the only country in the world to ban incinerators.
The PSA is directed by Director Ray Gibraltar (Wanted: Border and When Timawa Meets Delgado). A music titled Without Harm was especially recorded for the PSA by indie-pop band Bad Days for Mary.
Why ‘burn not’?
VJ Judah Paolo: Incineration has no place in this world. Incineration harms.
Kidlat Tahimik: I’m a filmmaker. I shoot the greens which our forefathers in Ifugao know so well. Incinerators deaden the greens.
Say Alonzo (actress): Incineration is global warming. Incineration sucks.
Fr. Robert Reyes: God recycles. The devil burns.
Dr. Manuel Chua-Chiaco (Philippine Heart Center): Incineration wastes resources. Proper health care waste management is the only solution.
Albert Martinez (actor/director): I only want the best for my family. Incineration is harmful.
WLS FM DJ Papa Dudut: I entertain people. Incineration destroys any form of entertainment.
Bekimon (in Bekimon lingo): I make people happy and jolly. Incineration makes us sick. It’s the biggest loser.
Former Rep. Risa Hontiveros: We serve the people. Incineration is greed.
Salvador Joel Alonday (sculptor): The sculptor with his resources takes an idea and gives it aesthetic form. Incinerators transform latent resources into toxic ash - this is a bad idea.
Chiqui Tronco (cyclist): I play fair game. Incineration is unfair.
Dr. Gina Nazareth (Philippine College of Physicians): The Hippocratic Oath says, first do no harm. Incineration does harm.
Joel Acebuche (fashion designer): I design beauty. Incineration is ugly.
Gene Testa (tattoo artist): I make permanent tattoo. The effects of incineration? Is permanent.
Dr. Maricar Limpin (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control): We protect patients. Incineration exposes us to injury to the lungs. Incineration poisons lives.
Bad Days for Mary (indie-pop band): When it comes to protecting the environment, incinerators hit all the wrong notes.
Gigie Cruz (environment campaigner): We work to achieve a toxic-free world. Incineration destroys our future.
Buwan Lila Sajayon (child volunteer): I love to play outdoor but with polluted air and
water, I can’t. Incineration destroys my playground.
Suzi Abrera (celeb mom): I deliver good news. Incineration is bad news.
