People recycle in the Philippines - Panglau

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Nelia Losbanos, assisted by children from the village of Looc on Panglau Island collects plastic bottles from the neighbouring countryside as well as the ocean. Here she is seen sorting bottles prior to collection by the recycling company.

02/02

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Recycling is well-established in the west and is slowly taking-off in the more remote parts of Asia. In the remote village of Looc on Panglau Island in the Philippines, locals now collect plastic for recycling to supplement their income.

Asia is not particularly well-advanced on the topic of recycling and green issues. A trip there is always marred by the sight of rubbish strewn over the land and clogging up the waterways.

However some schemes are now beginning to come into place, even in remote rural areas, to recycle plastic and glass bottles, tins and cans.

On Panglau Island in the Philippines schemes are under way to recycle plastic bottles and tins. The collected material is sent to Cebu city by barge several hours away where it is processed.

Leading the charge in the tiny village of Looc on the Island is Nelia Losbanos, who is seen here in the red shirt in the accompanying photographs sorting plastic for eventual recycling. Nelia receives a mere 10 Pesos (USD 0.23) per kilo of plastic collected.

It is important to note that the motivators for this recycling initiative are mostly financial rather than environmental; these rural communities are still living in severe poverty, with the proceeds of sale used to buy basic food staples such as flour.