A floating trash trap made of recycled material like plastic bottle and fishing gear is now being used by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here to prevent solid wastes from reaching into the waters of Manila Bay.

 

Paquito Moreno, Jr., executive director of DENR in Central Luzon said some 50 trash traps measuring 30 to 100 meters were installed in Lamao, Orani, Orion, Pinulot, Pangulisanin, Amo, Aguawan, Almacen, Bilolo, Talisay, Mabuco and Samal rivers, all in Bataan, and Guagua -Pasak river in Pampanga.

 

“Aside from the regular cleanup, which we are doing every week, these trash traps are another strategy to prevent the accumulation of garbage in the shoreline of our historic Manila Bay. Solid wastes are now being removed from the source before it reaches the bay,” he explained.

 

DENR record shows that these traps have prevented at least 30 tons of solid waste from reaching the waters of the Bay through its various tributaries since they were installed in the early months of this year.

 

The traps are strategically placed in rivers and streams where they can stop solid waste from floating further downstream, without hampering the movements of aquatic life such as fish.

“We have partnered with local government units (LGUs) in the region to manufacture and install these floating trash traps in the rivers within their locality while new traps are continually being installed with their help. Also, our estero rangers regularly collect and characterize the wastes from traps before it can be disposed of in sanitary landfills.” Moreno said.