Filipino villagers swap trash for rice in fight against plastics

123rf

In a bid to fight plastic wastage, a village in the Philippines is offering its residents rice in exchange for their trash.

That's right. Residents of Bayanan can get one kilo of rice for every two kilos of plastic waste they deposit. The trash is then handed over to the government for proper disposal or recycling. 

In fact, the village collected more than 213 kg of plastic sachets, bottles and bags in August.

Village chief Andor San Pedro said the food-for-trash swap is teaching people how to properly dispose of plastic waste.

The Southeast Asian nation is among the world's top marine plastic polluters, studies show, with laws on solid waste poorly enforced.

 

More from International news

News

  • UAE launches annual award to honour changemakers

    The UAE Year Of Award has been launched to honour individuals and institutions who create meaningful impact and strengthen a culture of community action to make each annual "UAE Year Of" theme into a lasting national legacy.

  • UAE welcomes Gaza agreement for Hamas disarmament

    The UAE has welcomed an agreement announced by US President Donald Trump for Hamas to disarm and Israeli troops to withdraw in Gaza, calling it a significant milestone towards ending the conflict.

  • Sheikh Abdullah meets UK Foreign Secretary in London

    Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, has discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties and boost cooperation across key sectors during talks with UK Foreign Secretary in London.