Quezon City on Tuesday launched a waste trading program that will soon allow residents to swap trash for groceries, as one of Metro Manila's largest cities moved to cut back on plastic waste.
The Trash to Cashback program allows individuals to exchange recyclable paper, plastic, and metal waste to environmental points (EPs) which they can use to purchase commodities such as rice, eggs, and vegetables. It will go hand-in-hand with a ban on single-use plastic.
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The initiative is a collaboration between Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies and the city's own Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department.
For now, a My Basurero Eco-Community kiosk has been set up at the QC Hall Risen Garden where employees can exchange recyclable waste for groceries. It will soon be rolled out in barangays.
Goods include branded cereals, canned goods, soap, and toiletries.
"The program’s main objective is to promote to our QCitizens the importance of recycling and proper waste segregation. Kapag dinala nila sa ating Trash to Cashback kiosk ang kanilang recyclable materials, pwede nila itong ipalit sa grocery," Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
Interested residents are required to register their email to BeepXTRA Philippines, BEST's Cashback Loyalty Platform partner, to earn EPs.
EPs can also be used to pay for bXTRA food deliveries. A complete list of partner stores and establishments can be on the bXTRA wesbite and its delivery website.
The initiative is also looking to expand beyond just groceries to cover micro and small businesses as partner merchants.
"If we have more partner merchants where residents can exchange their EPs, mas mahihikayat natin silang ipalit ang kanilang recyclable waste," EPWMD head Andrea A. Villaroman explained.
By Jul. 1, single-use plastics and utensils will be prohibited in the city.
