Around eight kilograms of solid waste were collected within the 800-meter stretch of shoreline in Punta Ballo Beach, Barangay 4 in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental during a recent coastal cleanup led by the Environmental Management Bureau-Negros Island Region (EMB-NIR), in partnership with the Sipalay City government.
The event, in celebration of the Philippine Environment Month, was participated in by barangay officials and community members, LGU employees, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, and students, underscoring a strong multi-sectoral commitment to marine environmental protection.
The collected debris consisted mostly of common coastal litter, such as cigarette butts, food wrappers, takeaway food containers, plastic bottle caps, metal bottle caps, plastic straw and utensils, pairs of slippers, glass bottles, and used diapers, among others, the EMB-NIR said June 15.
The Bureau noted a “continuing challenge of marine litter in coastal communities”, with single-use plastics and food-related waste dominating the collected materials.
EMB-NIR emphasized the importance of sustained community participation, proper waste segregation, and strengthened local enforcement of environmental laws to protect coastal ecosystems.
Coastal cleanups not only help reduce marine pollution but also raise public awareness on responsible consumption and waste management practices, especially in tourism and fishing areas, like the Punta Ballo Beach, it added. ||
