Official Publication of the Cagayan de Oro Port Community on Port Security, Safety, Health & Environment
V O L U M E
VOL 1 NO.1,
JANUARY-
1 ,
N O . 1
J A N — J U N
2 0 0 8
Cagayan de Oro Port Chosen as the Most
Environment Friendly Port in Northern Mindanao
JUNE 2008
SPECIAL
POINTS OF
INTEREST:
Sanitary Bowls,
Waterless Urinals,
Anyone? P. 7
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE:
Editorial
2
PMO Requires
3
Vessel Crews to
Use Gate 4 for
Access Inside the
Port
Ms. Teen Candi- 4
dates Visit Mangrove Reforestation Project
PMO Links Up
with SRLSF
4
PLSA SIGNS
MOA WITH
4
FVR Inaugurates
MacArthur Memorial Marker
5
Envilens
8
Entrance to the Passenger
Terminal Building.
The Port of Cagayan de
Oro has been chosen as the
Most Environment Friendly
Port among four other ports in
Northern Mindanao in CY 2008
by the Port District OfficeNoMin. The four other ports
are the Port of Iligan, Port of
Ozamiz, Port of Nasipit and
Port of Surigao.
The PPA-wide Search for
the
Most
Environment
Friendly Port was initiated by
the Office of the Assistant General Manager for Operations
and has the following criteria:
Compliance with Waste Management Regulations (31%);
Environmental,
Clean
and
Green Programs Undertaken
(15%); Port Environment Situation (32%); Information Dissemination (6%); Environmental
Achievements and Awards
(8%); Institutionalization of Environmental Programs and Com-
The Port of Cagayan de Oro
mitments of the PMO (4) and;
Energy and Water Efficiency (4).
The Special Evaluation
Team (SET) from the District
Office composed of its chairman, Engr. Euprepio Sanchez
and two active members namely
Ms. Lolita B. Cabanlet and Ms.
Zenaida Madtahir, Managers of
the Engineering Services, Management Services and Resource
Management Divisions, respec-
PMO Enforces Security and Safety
Measures at the Passenger Terminal
In compliance with the
International Ship and Port
Facility Security (ISPS) Code,
the PMO sustained safety and
security measures for passengers at the Passenger Terminal
Complex (PTC) by requiring
Shipping Lines to provide shuttle buses for embarking passengers whose vessel is berthed
more than 100 meters from the
Terminal Building or by cordoning off the area between the Pre
-Departure Area (PDA) and the
vessel when the latter is
tively, unanimously voted for
the Port of Cagayan de Oro as
the Most Environment Friendly
Port due to the following reasons:
1. Compliance with Waste Management regulations.
The
PMO’s Shore Reception Facility
(SRF) provided by Golden
Dragon International Terminals,
Continue on page 5
PILIPINAS SHELL
SPEARHEADS OIL SPILL
DRILL FOR PORT
COMMUNITY
berthed just within 100 meters
and by stopping cargo handling
operations during embarkation.
Three layers of security
check are also being done at the
PDA in order to have thorough
security check of baggage. First,
all baggage need to pass through
the X-Ray scanning machine.
Second, only baggage that do
not contain restricted items
which have been visuallyinspected by the security guards
Continue on page 6
Pilipinas Shell spearheads
the second Oil Spill Drill exercise conducted 10 May 2008 at
the Port of Cagayan de Oro to
further enhance the emergency
Continue on page 6
PAGE
2
Editorial
Know the Port of Cagayan de Oro through the Port Eye
Editorial
cartoons
here
The Philippine Ports Authority, Port Management Office of Cagayan de Oro, in cooperation with the Cagayan de Oro Port Community, has launched the “Port Eye” newsletter to encourage and enlist
the eyes and ears of port stakeholders in its campaign towards the
promotion and sustenance of port safety, security, health and environmental initiatives.
Through this quarterly publication, port users are empowered
and ever reminded of their commitment of being more conscious
and mindful about the state of cleanliness, orderliness and sanitation of their respective environs. It encourages them also to play a
proactive role in ensuring the fulfillment and sustainability of the
“Clean, Green and Blue Port” program.
The “Port Eye” logo consists of three distinct graphic elements,
each representing an important aspect of the program. The “Eye”
carved out from that of an eagle’s represents the sharpness and vigilance the program generates. The “Bollard”, firmly anchored on the
quay represents the stronghold which the “Clean, Green and Blue
Port” program is laid upon. The “Water”, flowing freely in a waving
configuration represents life in its fullest splendor and the flourishing water-borne commerce and trade that has benefited from it. It
also represents the enduring partnership of the Port Community of
Cagayan de Oro whose people and resources the program is entrusted.
As part of our growing platform on electronic information
and awareness, we are also firming up efforts to launch “Port
Eye” on line. We will make the maiden issue and all succeeding issues of the newsletter available through the website
soonest.
VOLUME
1,
NO.1
News
PAGE
3
PMO REQUIRES CREW OF VESSELS TO USE GATE 4 FOR ACCESS INSIDE
THE PORT
The Port Management Office of the Port of Cagayan de Oro now requires the crew of
the vessels whether passenger or not and all pedestrians other than those using the Passenger
Terminal to use Gate 4 or the Access Control Center (ACC) as their entry/exit points.
Answering the request of Shipping Lines that their crew be allowed to pass through
the Pre-Departure Area of the Passenger Terminal Complex in getting to their vessels, Port
Manager Efren B. Bollozos clarified that under the ISPS Code, the crew of the vessels are
required to pass through the Access Control Center from where they should be ferried to
their respective vessels. Under the same Code, he said, no one is allowed to walk on foot
inside the port especially at the operational areas.
Gate 1 B – For Passengers/Pedestrians using
the Passenger Terminal Complex
PM Bollozos said that the PMO has already identified and segregated the entry and exit
perimeter gates for vehicles and pedestrians in consonance with the ISPS Code to ensure the
safety and security of all port users and promote orderliness at the Port and convenience to
all port users. However, he said that the crew of passenger vessels maybe allowed to enter
the port through the Terminal Building if they need to attend to their passengers before
boarding time.
In PMO Memorandum Circular No. 003-2006 issued by the Port Manager, the following perimeter gates have been identified and segregated:
Gate 2 – Exclusive for Cargo Vehicles not
A. GATE 1. All the gates at the Passenger Terminal Complex are designated as GATE
1 and further subdivided into GATES 1A, 1B and 1C. The three gates are located at the
Northwest portion of the Port of Cagayan de Oro fronting Pacana St. and designated as follows:
• GATE 1A. is the entry gate of all vehicles, including taxis and public utility vehicles that
will drop off and pick up passengers at the PTC. It is also the exit of all vehicles when
GATE 1C is closed.
• GATE 1B is exclusively for the entry/exit of all pedestrians at the PTC.
• GATE 1C is for the exit of all vehicles at the PTC. However, when there is heightened
security alert, lighter traffic or for any exigency, GATE 1C maybe closed.
Gate 3 – E.S. Baclig Bldg Gate where the
Administration Office & the PICO are located.
B. GATE 2. Formerly known as the Macabalan Gate, it is located at the Western portion fronting the E.S. Baclig Building. It is for the entry/exit of all cargo vehicles not subject for
weighing. This Gate is also for Ro-Ro vehicles/cargoes under the RRTS program. All passenger
vehicles, motorcycles, motorelas and bicycles, not otherwise intended for cargo conveyance,
shall not be allowed entry/exit at this gate.
C. GATE 3 is the Administration Complex Gate located behind
the E.S. Baclig Building, at the Western Portion, fronting Corrales Avenue
Extension. GATE 3 is for the entry/exit of persons/pedestrians who shall
transact business at the E.S. Baclig Building.
D. GATE 4 is the Access Control Center (ACC) Gate located at
the Western portion fronting Corrales Avenue Extension, opposite the
Office of the Coast Guard-District of Northern Mindanao. It is for all
pedestrians and private or service vehicles and the entry/exit gate for the
Access Control Center where security and safety processing is conducted. Pedestrians may include port users, personnel from PPA, port
workers, visitors and guests. Service vehicles may include all vehicles not
otherwise classified as cargo trucks/vehicles.
GATE 4 is under the control and supervision of the Port Police
who shall strictly implement the PMO’s Access Control Regulations and
Pass Control System including the “NO ID: NO ENTRY” policy.
GATE 5 or the Agora Gate is intended for all cargo trucks/
vehicles, whether containerized or carrying bulk or break bulk cargoes,
subject for weighing.
“the crew of
passenger
vessels maybe
allowed to
enter the port
through the
Access Control Center (Gate 4) - Centralized
processing of security for non-cargo vehicles and
pedestrians/port users other than passengers.
Terminal
Building if they
need to attend
to their
passengers
before
boarding.”
Gate 5 – For containerized cargoes subject for
weighing
PAGE
4
News
MS. TEEN CANDIDATES VISIT MANGROVE
REFORESTATION PROJECT IN EL SALVADOR CITY
Thirty (30) young and beautiful environmentalists, candidates to the Ms. Teen Philippines
impressed sixteen (16) PMO
personnel with their knowledge
on environmental issues and
concerns during the mangrove
planting conducted by the PMO
25 May 2008 in El Salvador City.
Ms. Teen Philippines
candidates with
PMO personnel at
the mangrove
planting.
The young hopefuls are
supposed to join the PMO personnel
plant
mangrove
propagules at the Mangrove
Reforestation Project Site of the
Department of Environment and
Natural Resources. Due to high
tide however, only the PMO
personnel led by ESD Manager
Bong Butaslac, Jr., and RMD
Manager Ida S. Aguilar were able
to plant about 200 propagules.
The Ms. Teen candidates found it
impossible to plant in waist-deep
water.
“Aside from being pretty, the
candidates are very courteous
and respectful,” Ms. Aguilar said
of the young candidates whose
ages range from 14-18.
PMO personnel conducts
mangrove planting and coastal
clean-up activities annually not
only at the Mangrove Reforestation Project in El Salvador City
but in other coastal areas within
the vicinity of Misamis Oriental
designated by DENR as mangrove reforestation projects to
help promote an ecologically
healthy and balanced marine
environment, preserve and enhance marine life and the ecosystem as a whole. Another mangrove planting is scheduled in the
month of July 2008 in Pangayawan, Gitagum, Misamis Oriental, another mangrove reforestation site in time for PPA’s anniversary celebration on 11 July
2008.
To date, PMO-Cagayan de
Oro has planted about 7,000
mangrove propagules since 2003
in the following areas:
• Taytay, El Salvador City , 22
November 2003
• Bulua Coastline, Cagayan de
Oro, 18 June 2004 and 27
August 2005
• Pangayawan, Gitagum, Misamis
Oriental, 18 August 2006 and
21 July 2007.
PMO LINKS UP WITH SAFER RIVER, LIFE
SAVER FOUNDATION TO SUSTAIN
DEVELOPMENT OF PORT COMMUNITIES
Participants of the Livelihood
Training Program posed during
the commencement program.
(Above) Together with Dr. Rose
Huerbana of SRLSF, Engr. Isidro
Butaslac, Jr. signs the MOA in
behalf of PPA
The Port Management
Office-Cagayan de Oro has
linked up with the Safer
River, Life Saver Foundation,
Inc., a Liceo de Cagayan University based multi-sectoral organization which aims to protect
and/or enhance the ecology of
the Cagayan de Oro River,
other rivers in the city and
maximize benefits from their
utilization.
Port Manager Engr. Efren B.
Bollozos said that the linkage
will help the PMO attain PPA’s
mission to sustain development
of its port communities.
PM Bollozos said that a
Memorandum of Agreement for
this tie-up is being reviewed to
define the functions and respon-
sibilities of the parties involved.
The MOA covers two Barangays
situated along the Cagayan de
Oro river bank and within the
port zone namely Barangays Macabalan and Puntod.
Initially, the beneficiaries of
this tie-up are the residents of
the two Barangays covered under
the MOA, but other barangays
situated along the river bank may
be included in the future, PM
Bollozos said. At present, there
are 16 barangays along the Cagayan de Oro river.
Among others, the tie-up
will give the residents of the two
barangays the opportunity to
participate in livelihood training
projects of PPA under the Gender and Development (GAD)
PLSA SIGNS MOA WITH
DENR ON GREEN
PROGRAM AT THE
PORT OF CAGAYAN DE
ORO
The Philippine Liners
Shipping Association represented by its President Mr.
Francisco Descallar entered
into a Memorandum of
Agreement with the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR)
for the supply of tree seedlings that will be planted
within the premises of the
Port of Cagayan de Oro.
The MOA was signed 09
May 2008 with Mr. Descallar
and Mr. Maximo Dichoso,
Regional Executive Director
of DENR as signatories. The
signing of the MOA assures
PLSA of a steady supply of
tree seedlings to be used in
its tree planting activities and
technical assistance for the
maintenance of the planted
trees from DENR.
The MOA further stipulates that trees planted at the
Port must be maintained and
monitored. PLSA is required
to submit photographs of the
growing trees planted and
quarterly reports on the
maintenance and upkeep of
the newly planted trees including replacements of those
which failed to survive.
PLSA joined the tree
planting activity last 10 May
2008 at the Port of Cagayan
de Oro together with the
other members of the port
community consisting of various port stakeholders.
program and other projects
and activities involving environmental issues and concerns
such as tree planting and environment awareness seminars.
They will also be recipients of
PPA’s recycling project where
recovered recyclable materials
at the port will be used for
their livelihood projects using
recyclable materials.
VOLUME
1,
NO.1
News
PAGE
5
FVR Inaugurates MacArthur Memorial Marker
The Memorial Marker is
a joint project of the
City of Cagayan de Oro
and the Sisterhood Commission of Norfolk, Virginia, the hometown of
Gen. MacArthur. LGUCDO and Norfolk, Virginia will soon sign a
Sisterhood Agreement to
govern the relations of
both Cities and the
Marker is their first joint
project.
City Mayor Constantino G. Jaraula created
the MacArthur Marker
Former President Fidel V. Ramos delivers his talk
Committee to handle the
during the Inauguration Ceremony.
funding and construction
Former President Fidel V. of the project. The Committee is
Ramos led the inauguration of the headed by Engr. Elpidio Paras of
MacArthur Memorial Marker on the private sector. The Philippine
13 March 2008 to commemorate Ports Authority segregated about
Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s landing 1,000 sq.m. of port area at the
at the Macabalan Wharf on 13 Northernmost tip of the Port of
March 1942 on his way to Austra- Cagayan de Oro where the
marker is built.
lia.
Other guests during the inauguration include Dr. Juan Montero, a member of the Sisterhood
Commission of Norfolk, Virginia,
Vice Mayor Vicente Y. Emano,
Port District Manager Bienvenido
P. Basco and Port Manager Efren
B. Bollozos, members of the City
Council and the MacArthur
Marker Committee and a representative from the US Embassy.
The McArthur marker has
now become a tourist destination
in the country and is expected to
be as historical as one of the oldest inter-regional highways named
after him, the MacArthur Highway
that connects Manila to the northern and southern provinces.
PPA segregated
1,000 sq.m. of port
area where LGULGUCDO & Private
Sector built the
marker to
commemorate Gen.
Douglas
MacArthur’s landing
at the Macabalan
Wharf on 13 March
1942 on his way to
Australia.
CDO Port Chosen ...
Continued rrom page 1
consists of one (1) medium size
dumptruck and two (2) color
coded garbage receptacles for
segregation. GDTI workers are
protected with hand gloves, masks
and boots. The PMO has provided
GDTI with a fenced area dedicated for their operations. For oil
wastes, GDTI has an established
communication system that would
alert their Davao branch to handle
oil wastes. This set-up and the
systems and procedures for the
SRF have yet to be duplicated in
the four other baseports.
The environmental, clean and
green programs of PMO Cagayan
de Oro are continuing activities.
The PMO has the most number of
tree planting activities conducted
and mangrove reforestation projects implemented. The Port of
Cagayan de Oro is the only port
with a well-developed and maintained Greenbelt area planted
with a total of 351 trees. The
PMO has planted 7,000 mangrove
propagules in El Salvador, Misamis
Oriental, Bulua, Cagayan de Oro
City and Gitagum, Misamis Oriental which are all DENR identified
areas for mangrove rehabilitation
in Misamis Oriental.
The Passenger Terminal
Complex of the Port of Cagayan
de Oro was commended by the
Department of Transportation
and Communications (DOTC) as
the most Client-Friendly Passenger Terminal in 2006.
The SET visited the Port on
14 May 2008 and conducted an
ocular inspection of the Port. The
Port District Office has nominated the PMO to Head Office to
compete with other regional winners in the search namely the
Ports of Davao, Puerto Prinsesa,
Tagbilaran and Limay.
The Port Community composed of various stakeholders
joined hands in preparing the Port
of Cagayan de Oro for the search.
The stakeholders are Oroport
Cargohandling Services, Inc., Philippine Coast Guard-Northern
Mindanao (PCG) and the PCG
Auxiliary (PCGA), Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Pilipinas
Shell, Harbor Star, Marcoso Tugboat Services, Inc., Phiippine Liners Shipping Association, Golden
Dragon Terminals International,
Inc. DATCOM Lodge 308, Macajalar Wharf Porters Association
and Safer River, Lifer Saver Foundation
Congratulations
to the Port of
Cagayan de
Oro and the
Port Community !!!
The Port Cagayan de Oro is the only port in the country
with a Green Belt Area.
PAGE
News
6
Members of the Port Community Sign Up
for Regular Clean-Up Drive at the Port
Various stakeholders at the
Port of Cagayan de Oro commit
to help keep the port clean, green
and blue by adopting a particular
area at the port to maintain its
cleanliness and orderliness under
the continuing “Clean, Green and
Blue Port” project.
In a letter sent to the members of the Port Community, Port
Manager Engr. Efren B. Bollozos
requested the various stakeholders to adopt an area at the
port to sustain the joint effort for
the project which started during
the early ‘80’s and which has been
institutionalized by the Port District Office-Northern Mindanao
among its five ports since 1998.
Members of the Macajalar Wharf Porters Association join the regular
clean-up drive at the Port.
PMO Enforces ...
Continued from page 1
are allowed inside the PDA.
Prohibited items with valid
permits and baggage containing restricted items must be
deposited with their respective Shipping Lines. They are
not allowed inside the PDA.
Third, all baggage will be subjected to sniffing by the K-9
dog under the supervision of
the Philippine Coast Guard.
Various amenities at
the PTC.
Vehicle traffic at the
PTC has also become efficient
with the implementation of
the Vehicle Access Control
System (VACSys), a tracking
system that monitors vehicles
entering the PTC. The Port of
Cagayan de Oro is the only
seaport in the country with a
computerized tracking and
monitoring system of vehicles, making the entry/exit of
vehicles very orderly, thereby
easing traffic congestion inside the PTC.
With these security and
safety measures in place at
the PTC, the Port of Cagayan
de Oro certainly lives up to
its name as the Gateway to
Mindanao. In CY 2006, the
Department of Transportation and Communications
(DOTC) cited the PTC as the
“Cleanest and Most Orderly
Port in Northern Mindanao.”
At present, the PTC has
the following amenities which
are well-maintained:
- Pre-Departure Area
- Shuttle Bus Service
- Well-Wisher’s Area
- Ticketing Booths
- Child Care Center
- Pay Parking Area
- Kiddie Corner
- Drop-Off / Pick-Up Point
- Sweet-smelling comfort
rooms
- Ramp for the DifferentlyAbled
Participants of the
Oil Spill Drill.
2007
- Executive Lounge with
facilities for the differentlyabled
PM Bollozos said that the
PMO has subdivided the port for
adoption
Continue on page 7
Pilipinas Shell ...
Continued from page 1
response capabilities of various
stakeholders and ensure the protection and preservation of marine life in case of accidental oil
spillage.
Harbor Star Shipping Services, Inc. provided the tugboat in
putting out to sea the boom and
skimmer used in the exercise
while various stakeholders such as
the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
and the PCG Auxiliary, Oroport
Cargohandling Services, the Philippine Liners Shipping Association
and PMO personnel actively participated in the exercise.
The first Oil Spill Drill was
conducted 02 April 2007 also
spearheaded by Pilipinas Shell.
With the success of the first two
exercises, the members of the
Port Community has scheduled
quarterly exercises to safeguard
marine resources against oil spills
and other destructive chemicals
that may pollute the seas and
shores.
The Oil Spill Drill is part of
the continuing “Clean, Green and
Blue Port” project of the Port
Community.
VOLUME
1,
Features
NO.1
PAGE
Sanitary Bowls, Waterless Urinals, Anyone?
Water as a universal
cleanser is indeed becoming
scarce. According to the World
Health Organization (WHO),
more than 50% of the world
population will experience water
scarcity within the next 50 years.
Rather than wait for water to
become a very expensive resource, manufacturers worldwide
have designed home fixtures that
are environment friendly and use
less water or no water at all such
as water efficient sanitary bowls
and waterless urinals. However,
since they are still new in the
world market, they are quite expensive and are not yet available
locally.
The design of ecological,
sanitary and environment friendly
fixtures is part of the so-called
ECOSAN technology being developed not only to conserve water
but to make environment friendly
facilities for sustainable sanitation
practices and more importantly to
recycle human excreta and waste
water like urine to fertilize the
soil.
In a seminar conducted
by the Philippine Institute of Civil
Engineers (PICE) in cooperation
with Xavier University’s Engineering Resource Center and the Ecosan Training & Research Center
for Southeast Asia & the Pacific
entitled “Ecosan for Engineers”
on June 19, 2008 at the Pearlmont
Inn in Cagayan de Oro City, Dr.
Robert J. Holmer, PUVeP Director gave an overview of the Ecosan philosophy saying that it is not
a specific technology but rather a
new philosophy based on an ecosystem-oriented view of material
flows.
The ecosan philosophy applies the basic natural principle of
closing the loop by using modern
and safe sanitation and reuse technologies to maintain the fertility of
arable lands. The World Watch
Report of 2005 reported that
annually, the earth is losing 25
billion tons of nutrient rich topsoil.
The ecosan philosophy is
being implemented with
pilot
projects in Cagayan de Oro and
Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon where
ecosan double vault urinediversion dehydration toilets to
collect urine and human faeces
separately for recycling are constructed.
The seminar was attended by almost 80 participants
coming from various government
agencies like PPA, DPWH, PAGIBIG, NHA, City Health Office,
Members of Port ...
Editorial Board
Members of the Port Community supporting the “Clean, Green and Blue Port”
project include Oroport Cargohandling
Services, Inc., Philippine Coast GuardNorthern Mindanao (PCG) and the PCG
Auxiliary (PCGA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),
Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)
Pilipinas Shell, Harbor Star, Marcoso Tugboat Services, Inc., Phiippine Liners Shipping
Association, Golden Dragon Terminals
International, Inc. DATCOM Lodge 308,
Macajalar Wharf Porters Association and
Safer River, Lifer Saver Foundation, Inc.
COWD, OCW, LGUs, as well as
the academe, private consultants
and constructors. Two of PMO’s
Engineers, ESD Manager Bong
Butaslac, Jr. and Supervising Engineer Marc Avellana attended the
seminar.
Case studies on sustainable sanitation practices implemented in the Philippines such as
the decentralized waste water
treatment systems for the public
market in Dumaguete and the
slaughterhouse of the Bureau of
Animal Industry in Valenzuela
which also includes a biogas facility were also presented during the
seminar.
Water as a
universal
cleanser is
indeed
becoming
scarce.
Editorial Staff
Continued from page 6
to ensure the sustainability of an environment friendly port. A PPA-PMO
personnel will be a stakeholder’s partner in each adopted area. Together
with the letter is a FORM where the
stakeholder and the PMO personnel
state their commitment for a sustainable and environment friendly port.
Waterless urinals (above) and how it works.
Jessica D. Angeles
Executive Editor
Saerah M. Pascasio
Editor-In-Chief
Efren B. Bollozos
Chairman
Edsel A. Calo
Associate/Lay-Out Editor
Franklin M. Siao
Member
Jorice A. Naranjo
News/Features
Francisco Descallar
Member
Jurylie Abordo
News/Features
Carlos M. Canon
Member
Core Suan
Envilens Editor
Marc M. Avellana
Photo Editor
Cyril Beja
Circulation Manager
Marissa Mendoza
Circulation
Isidro V. Butaslac, Jr. Member
Port Eye is the official publication of
the Cagayan de Oro Port Community on port security, safety, health
and environment with office address at Philippine Ports Authority,
Port Management Office-Cagayan
de Oro, Port Area, Macabalan,
Cagayan de Oro City, 9000.
Coordinators
Amor G. Mann
Passenger Terminal Complex
Guilbert Anthony Gimeno
Terminal Port of Balingoan
Valiente Camay
Terminal Port of Benoni
7
EnviLens
A closer look on environment matters.
Plugging the Bulbs
The news about compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) is not
all sunny. Little noted is that they contain mercury, aneurotoxin that can be released if bulbs are tossed in the
trash or incinerated. But when disposed of properly, CFLs
actually reduce the amount of mercury escaping into the
environment. According to the EPA, “coal-fired power
plants emit 13.6 mg of mercury to produce the electricity
required to use an incandescent light bulb, compared to
3.3 mg for a CFL.”
Length of Degradation
—- Practical Values, Mother Jones
Types of rubbish have varying amounts of
time to properly decompose when scattered
around and not on landfill area or compost
facility. This is how long some commonly
used products biodegrade:
Aluminum Cans
Cotton rags
1-5 months
In America, 1,500 aluminum cans are recycled every second. Recycling an aluminum soda can saves 96% of the
energy used to make a can from ore, and produces 95%
less air pollution and 97% less water pollution.
Paper
2-5 months
--- www.cleanair.org
Rope
3-14 months
Cigarette filters
1-12 years
Leather shoes
25-40 years
Nylon fabric
30-40 years
Plastic bags
10-20 years
Orange peels
6 months
Banana peels
2-10 days
One aluminum can recycled can save enough energy to run
a television for 3 hours.
--- Health & Home
The Chemicals Within
Many common household products contain compounds that could be
affecting our health. In a report called “Is It in Us?” by a coalition of
environment groups, all the participants of the survey tested positive of
all 3 classes of contaminants:
•
BPA or Bisphenol A : a plastic hardener, it’s found in polycarbonate
baby bottles, as well as in CDs, DVDs and the resin linings of many
food and beverage containers, such as takeout cartons and aluminum and tin cans.
•
Phthalates: used to soften plastics, these compounds are found in
hundreds of personal-care products such as fragrances, body lotions and shampoos
•
PBDEs: an important class of flame retardants, these chemicals
are often used in upholstery, fabrics, circuit boards and casings of
computers and TVs —- and apparently escape into indoor air and
dusts.
—— Project Green, Newsweek
--- Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
Quantity of Water
The earth’s total
allotment of water
has a volume of
about 344 million
cubic miles. Of this:
•
315 million cubic miles (93%) is sea water
•
9 million cubic miles (2.5%) is in aquifers
deep below the earth’s surface
•
7 million cubic miles (2%) is frozen in polar ice caps
Hot Thermometers
Broken mercury thermometers are an environment threat. They
add 17 tons of mercury to the US waste stream every year. The
mercury in one broken thermometer can contaminate an 11-acre
lake.
• 53,000 cubic miles of water pass through
the planet’s lakes and streams
• 4,000 cubic miles of water are atmospheric moisture
Glass Recycle
• 3,400 cubic miles of water are locked
within the bodies of living things
When a product is recycled and then reused as a new
product, the recycling loop has been closed. Glass is
100% recyclable, and can be used over and over with
no loss in quality. The process of creating new glass
from old is also extremely efficient, producing virtually no waste or unwanted by-products.
If the entire world’s water were to fit into a
gallon jug, the fresh water available for us to
use would equal only to about one tablespoon.
—- www.rivers.gov
—- www.mcswmd.org