PLASTIC CAMPAIGN

BLASTIK PROJECT

Rationale

Over the past seven decades, there has been a remarkable surge in plastic
production. In 1950, global production amounted to a mere two million tonnes, but today, that
figure has skyrocketed to over 450 million tonnes. Plastic has undeniably revolutionized our
lives, offering affordability, adaptability, and sterility in a multitude of applications ranging
from construction materials to medical instruments and food packaging. However, this
convenience comes with a significant environmental cost. According to research by Ocean
Conservancy and McKinsey in 2015, the Philippines ranks as the world's third-largest
contributor to plastic pollution. With an annual output of at least 2.7 million metric tons of
plastic waste, the nation faces pressing challenges in managing its plastic consumption and
waste disposal practices.
Pope Francis strongly criticized throwing plastic into the ocean, saying it's like
committing a crime that harms animals and the Earth. He warned that if we don't change, our
grandkids might live in a world that's too damaged to live in within 30 years. In response, the
Diocese of San Carlos and Peacepond joined hands for the Blastik Project. This project aims
to tackle plastic pollution by recycling and reusing plastic.
We aspire to mobilize all communities within the Diocese to actively participate in this
collective action.

Objectives
● To foster a culture of environmental stewardship and sustainability by implementing a
comprehensive plastic recycling and reuse program to reduce waste and preserve
our shared ecosystem.
● To empower local communities and promote economic sustainability by establishing
a plastic waste reuse initiative that creates opportunities for income generation
through innovative recycling practices within the community.
● To contribute to the construction of the New St. John Mary Vianney Seminary uses
recycled plastic materials to manufacture tiles and boards.

Mechanics:

Step 1: Collect, clean, and sort recyclable plastics like bottles, containers, and packaging
from homes and communities.
Type of Plastics that can be recycled:
● Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET Bottles)- Single Use Only
(Ensure proper removal of packaging for another purpose)

● High-density Polyethylene (Squeezable)

● Sachets (By cutting these sachets properly, they can be repurposed into
wallets and bags)

Step 2:
- Forward all collected plastic bottles to the Basic Ecclesial Communities/Gagmay’ng
Kristohanong Katilingban in your local area.
- The GKK officials will verify that the forwarded plastics are clean and dry before
further processing.

Step 3:
- In the GKK make sure to segregate plastic items into bottle caps, bottle bodies, soft
plastics, and packaging of bottles and sachets
- Further categorized plastics based on color and type
Step 4:
- The parish will either directly collect or designate service commissioners/Lunhaw
Volunteers to receive clean, dry, and segregated plastic items.
- Ensure that the parish establishes a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) to store
donated plastic items.

Step 5:
- All plastic donations from the parish will be recorded, documenting their type and
quantity, before being forwarded to the most accessible parish within the vicariate for
easy collection by the Diocesan Ecology Ministry.
- All vicariates are requested to designate a point person to serve as the contact for
the Diocesan Ecology Ministry.
Lunhaw Contact Number: 09672603275

Step 6:
- The Diocesan Ecology Ministry will collect plastic items from the Vicariates; please
ensure to provide a contact person to coordinate with the team for scheduling the
pickup date.
- Please note that collectors from the Diocesan Ecology Ministry will inspect the proper
segregation and condition of the plastic according to the guidelines outlined above
before proceeding with the collection.
- Upon the availability of the machine, collected plastics will be processed by trained
volunteers. Any remaining plastics will be stored at the Materials Recovery Facility
(MRF) located at the Bishop's Home Compound.