Where to bring election campaign tarps for recycling
The campaign season is over and our neighborhoods are still full of all the tarpaulins and campaign materials of various candidates.
From our own gate to public walls and lamp posts, the streets are literally filled with plastic garbage. What do we do with all these materials?
You could always take these to a materials recovery facility near you for recycling. Several volunteer groups have also taken the initiative to upcycle the water-resistant tarps into sustainable products like bags, organizers, wallets, bin liners, aprons, and more.
Here are some organizations that will take plastic tarps, campaign materials, and other election paraphernalia off your hands and repurpose them into useful items.
My Basurero
A project by Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies, Inc., My Basurero exchanges plastic, paper, and metal trash with "environmental points" that can be used to redeem grocery essentials, milk tea, burgers, and many other food items on their platform.
The platform accepts PVC Tarps left over from the campaign period. Just make sure to remove wooden frames or other attached materials and fold tarps properly before storing.
Visit bxtraoutlet.delivery to sign up and use the trash to cashback system and check out what items you can "Add to cart" if you have enough points.
Drop-off points:
- MBE-C Brixton Technology Center (Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City)
- MBE-C in Quezon City Hall
The Plastic Flamingo
The Plastic Flamingo (also known as The Plaf) is a French social enterprise based in the Philippines that collects and recycle plastic waste into eco-products used for construction, design, rebuilding, furniture, and more. They accept all types of plastics, which includes plastic tarpaulins, as long as these are clean.
Plaf has various drop-off points located in malls and outdoor shops like Decathlon branches, making it easy and convenient for people to drop off their items for recycling. Make sure to clean and sort your plastic waste and tarps before donating them.
Drop-off points:
- The Plaf Warehouse (Putatan, Muntlnlupa City)
- Decathlon branches in Pasig, Alabang, and Masinag
- Ayala UP Town Center (Concierge Booth Phase 1)
- Aksyon ng Kabataan Organization (Parang, Marikina City)
- Kalikhasan Eco-Friendly Solutions (Merville, Parañaque City)
- Delichoice Inc. (Cainta, Rizal)
- Pot Twist (Cainta, Rizal)
- Yogheart (Jaleville Subdivision, Parañaque City)
- Ecolution (Cabucgayan, Biliran)
- Eco Folk PH (Bacolod City, Negros Occidental)
Sentinel UpCycling Technologies
Sentinel UpCycling Technologies, a Philippine manufacturer of upcycled plastic products, turns pieces of plastic into pellets through cleaning, cutting, and chemical processing. These pellets are then transformed into upcycled plastic products, such as monobloc chairs, crates and containers, armchairs, benches, trays, hangers, bins, stools, and more.
Drop-off point:
- First Pinnacle Trading Corporation, 60 West Avenue, West Triangle, Quezon City.
Aside from these drop-off points, netizens online have given various suggestions on how these campaign materials can be recycled.
A Twitter user on Sunday (May 8) shared that volunteer groups might want to organize a “recovery facility” for the tarpaulins and turn these into school bags to be distributed to students for the next academic year.
At aprons ang organizers para sa mga nagtatrabaho sa palengke mga ganun pic.twitter.com/fWzLdain1X
— russ (@arch_lazaro) May 8, 2022
“At aprons (and) organizers para sa mga nagtatrabaho sa palengke, mga ganun,” Arch Lazaro wrote, sharing a photo of tarps turned into useful products.
In response, another netizen suggested that tarpaulins be reused as mats for use in evacuation centers and disaster relief.
“I suggest gawin silang trapal/banig na ginagamit sa evacuation centers during disaster relief. Siguro, if matatahi nang maganda (with wrong side out para ‘di mukhang bigay ng pulitiko), ok and matibay siya gamitin for that. Livelihood ng mananahi plus donate sa Angat Buhay,” the user said, referring to the Office of the Vice President’s initiative.
I suggest gawin silang trapal/banig na ginagamit sa evacuation centers during disaster relief. Siguro, if matatahi nang maganda (with wrong side out para di mukhang bigay ng pulitiko), ok and matibay sya gamitin for that. Livelihood ng mananahi plus donate sa Angat-Buhay.
— chesmix (@chegasanka) May 8, 2022
Filipino rock musician Dong Abay also called on the volunteers of 2022 candidates to collect campaign materials and urged volunteers to return these tarpaulins to the candidates for recycling.
“Pagkatapos ng eleksyong ito, ang unang proyektong kailangang gawin ng bayan ay ang Tarpaulin Ko, Ligpit Ko.; Ipunin ng volunteers ng mga pulitiko ang mga tarpaulin na nagkalat kahit saan sa Pilipinas at isauli sa mga kandidato. Irecycle kaysa maging basura sa ating kapaligiran,” Abay posted on Twitter Monday.
Pagkatapos ng eleksyong ito, ang unang proyektong kailangang gawin ng bayan ay ang "Tarpaulin Ko, Ligpit Ko." Ipunin ng volunteers ng mga pulitiko ang mga tarpaulin na nagkalat kahit saan sa Pilipinas at isauli sa mga kandidato. Irecycle kaysa maging basura sa ating kapaligiran.
— Dong Abay (@dongabay) May 9, 2022
Facebook user Mara Chua is calling for people to send used tarps her way to be upcycled into bags to be donated.
Send her a message on Facebook for details on how to donate.