Health and environment

As the third negotiations (INC3) for a global plastics treaty closed earlier this week, civil society organizations from different countries were disappointed over the seeming failure to move closer to a strong and binding global plastic agreement to end plastic…

The Minamata Convention on Mercury’s Fifth Conference of the Parties takes place in Geneva, Switzerland from October 30 to November 3, 2023. COP-5 is primed to be a landmark event, with proposed amendments to be negotiated by Parties covering mercury-added…

26 October 2023, Davao City/Quezon City. Environmental health groups, Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS), and the EcoWaste Coalition have deplored the illegal sale of some paint products with high lead content in Davao City, Philippines. Based on the sampling…

28 September 2023, Quezon City.  The historic ban on lead-containing paints in the Philippines was applauded in two side events held in conjunction with the fifth session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5) in Bonn, Germany. Convened in…

As VP and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte and the Department of Education (DepEd) brace the country for an enhanced basic education program dubbed MATATAG, environmental group BAN Toxics urges the government to “include and seriously consider environmental education as a…

In celebration of International Plastic Bag Free Day, environmental group BAN Toxics heightens its call to promote plastic-free sari-sari stores to reduce plastic waste in the country. The group presented a mock sari-sari store with the signage “Kahit konting pagTINGI”…

3 June 2023, Quezon City.  The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition has proposed that smoke-producing devices, also called colored smokes or smoke bombs, should be tested and regulated to ensure public health and safety following an incident in Bacolod City.…

No More Excuses, ADB! Prioritize Sustainable Solutions and Stop Funding Harmful Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Incinerators 02 May 2023 –  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is increasingly promoting waste-to-energy (WtE) projects in its energy and urban development portfolios as a way to…

Argentina is the first country in the world to eat genetically modified bread. The company Bioceres-Indear reported that GM wheat is already being mixed with conventional wheat in 25 mills. With no labelling of genetically modified foods, it is already…

24 April 2023, Quezon City.  The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued an Advisory reiterating the mandatory use of lead-safe paints by all local government units (LGUs) in the Philippines. Through an Advisory signed by Undersecretary…