BURN NOT, GOV’T WARNED

Amidst on-going push from different government sectors to amend the Philippine Clean Air Act, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) today released a 3-part Public Service Announcement on incineration. ‘Burn Not’ cautions the national government to stop burning and the local governments to shun from legitimizing waste-to-energy or “incinerators-in-disguise” contracts recently signed by different LGUs, particularly in Mindanao.

Incineration Harms, Burn Not, participated in by 20 entertainment, politics and cause-oriented personalities reminding the public of the evils of incineration, is currently being played in the waiting rooms of 13 private and government-owned hospitals. A copy of the PSAs will also be sent to government officials most particularly PNoy, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, and DENR Sec. Ramon Paje.

“When other countries are moving away from incineration, we ask,” says HCWH-SEA Executive Director Merci Ferrer, “why are we going back to burning?”

The Philippines is the 1st country in the world to ban incineration. In the 2004 Philippines Measles Eradication Campaign (PMEC), the country demonstrated that there are viable alternatives to burning wastes. As a result, the Philippines became the first country to deal with waste from a nationwide vaccination program without resorting to incineration or open burning.

“Burning is not the answer to our waste problem,” Ferrer said. “What we need is stricter implementation of the law.” The group cited that several incineration-in-disguise projects abound in the country which is a “complete violation of the law.”

“We want our officials to see these videos and really understand what we mean when we say ‘incineration harms’.”

The videos aim to go viral and call for national and international support against incineration.

The 1st video disputes claims that incineration is the answer to lessening the volume of wastes. According to the video, the volume of wastes may have decreased but dioxins and furans remain exposing the public to the most toxic substances known to man. The 2nd part went on to emphasize that there are cleaner and safer alternatives that are already being used in the country and worldwide. The last part showed that incineration in fact makes its users losers. The group cited the US$2 million debt that the country is still paying for 26 defunct medical waste incinerators. These were retired following the ban on medical waste incineration. But prior to the ban, the incinerators were already found to have failed the “acceptable” emission levels.

Along with the videos, a copy of the report to the UN Human Rights Council of Special Rapporteur Calin Georgescu on the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes will be sent to concerned government officials. The report highlights the adverse effects that unsound management and disposal of medical waste may have on the enjoyment of human rights. It also calls for the replacement of incineration as a disposal method of hazardous medical waste with more environmentally-friendly and safe methods of disposal, such as autoclaving.

The personalities who took part in the 3-part PSA are actor/director Albert Martinez, events host Judah Paolo, WLS FM DJ Papa Dudut, celeb mom Suzi Abrera, Youtube sensation Bekimon, actress Say Alonzo, former Rep. Risa Hontiveros, filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik, running priest Fr. Robert Reyes, 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 Jr., Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternative’s (GAIA) Gigie Cruz, and child volunteer Buwan Lila Sayajon.

The hospitals playing the PSAs are Philippine Heart Center (Quezon City) and San Lazaro Hospital (Manila). Next week, 11 hospitals owned, co-owned and administered by St. Paul de Chartres (SPC) Health Care Ministry will join in. These are Dela Salle University (DLSU) Medical Center (Dasmarinas Cavite), General Santos Doctors Hospital (General Santos City), Julio Cardinal Rosales Memorial Hospital (Dalaguete, Cebu), Notre Dame de Chartres Hospital (Baguio City), Our Lady of Peace Hospital (Paranaque City), Perpetual Succor Hospital (Cebu City), St. Joseph Southern Bukidnon Hospital (Maramag, Bukidnon), St. Paul Hospital in Dasmarinas, Cavite, St. Paul’s Hospital in Iloilo City, St. Paul Hospital in Tuguegarao City, and Maria Reyna Xavier University Hospital (Cagayan de Oro City).

Watch Burn Not on YouTube, click on Burn Not 1, Burn Not 2 and Burn Not 3.
Or visit our Vimeo page at www.vimeo.com/hcwhsea and watch:
BURN NOT1
BURN NOT2
BURN NOT3

Media Contacts:
Sonia G. Astudillo, +63 9189182369
Merci Ferrer, +63 9209056113


HCWH is an international coalition with over 483 member organizations in 53 countries, working to transform the health care sector world-wide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically-sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and environment. For more information on HCWH-SEA, visit www.noharm.org/seasia