GREEN boxes have been deployed in parts of barangay Hippodromo and Mabolo and at the SM mall’s Cyber Zone starting yesterday to collect damaged cellphones which will be disposed off properly.
Another option is to sell damaged phones to the Cebu Common Treatment Facility Inc./Cebu E-Resource Recovery Inc. (CCTFI/CERRI) at P10 per unit through the SM mall’s trash for cash program, where they buy recyclable items at their covered parking area every first Friday and Saturday of the month.
“We know how many cellphones are no longer usable because there are already damaged and just stored at home. These should be disposed properly,” said Teodoro Locson of CCTFI.
Electronic wastes like cellphones contain toxic substances like lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent, chromium and several forms of brominated flame retardants that if not properly disposed may cause health and environmental hazards.
Councilor Nida Cabrera said that because of the city’s lack of a facility to store and process electronic wastes, these hazardous wastes are either left on the backyards, dismantled by scrap buyers or mixed with other recyclables.
The city is partnering with the city of Kitakyushu in Japan, the Nippon Magnetic Dressing Co., LTD., SM mall management and CCTFI in the collection and proper disposal of electronic wastes.
Mayor Michael Rama led the MOA signing with its partners yesterday morning to formally start the collection of e-wastes and the conduct of a six months study by the Japan-based Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) to help the city manage its e-wastes.
Dickella Premakumara, manager for Sustainable Cities Kitakyushu Urban Centre, said that they will furnish the city a copy of their study for the passage of legislative intervention that will help the city set its policies on e-wastes disposal.
Locson said that the MOA will also allow CCTFI to collect e-wastes and export these to the Nippon Magnetic Dressing Co., Ltd based in Kitakyushu.