‘Look at the bigger picture’: Environmentalists, experts warn possible health risks in plastic upcycling as initiative booms

Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Under the heat of the sun, plastics worker Aldrin Aguilar and his companions sift through plastic waste at The Plastic Flamingo’s warehouse in Muntinlupa. Carrying a dulling cutter, two workers picked up PET bottles from the flexible freight bag to remove its sheet labels, as containers and other discards got separated to another sack.At the bottom of the bag sat electronic parts from washing machines and fans. Diapers were set aside. Bubble wraps and plastic cups, meanwhile, were put into the other bag. Workers kept moving until their shift neared its end, sweat dripping from their brows, dampening their face masks.

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img alt='Workers sort different types of plastic at The Plastic Flamingo upcycling facility in Muntinlupa City on March 18, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News' src='https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/05/05/20220318-plastic-recycling-muntinlupa-gc-1673.jpg' ><figcaption>Workers sort different types of plastic at The Plastic Flamingo upcycling facility in Muntinlupa City on March 18, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>This is the second part of a 3-part series. You can read the first part <a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/multimedia/slideshow/05/05/22/philippine-upcycles-its-way-out-of-its-plastic-pollution-crisis'>here</a>.

As recyclers look above and beyond to solve plastic pollution, scientists and advocates warn of a threat lurking from within: the potential health risks that their upcycling process have to humans, and its possible impact to the environment in the long-term. 

‘Look at the bigger picture’: Environmentalists, experts warn possible health risks in plastic upcycling as initiative booms | ABS-CBN News

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‘Look at the bigger picture’: Environmentalists, experts warn possible health risks in plastic upcycling as initiative booms

‘Look at the bigger picture’: Environmentalists, experts warn possible health risks in plastic upcycling as initiative booms