A pollution watchdog on Thursday educated the public in the busy Quiapo district in Manila on the dangers brought by the dumping of mercury-containing lamps, as 80 percent of which are disposed of as domestic wastes in dumpsites or landfills.

Members of the EcoWaste Coalition, donning eye-catching mock lamps as headgears, distributed leaflets to vendors and consumers along the streets of Carriedo, Evangelista, and Raon in Manila to raise awareness on the need to safely manage mercury lamp waste.

The group cited the Philippine government data on mercury-containing waste lamp disposal, indicating that 80 percent or some 19,880,993 lamps are disposed yearly as domestic wastes. The wastes are mostly linear fluorescent lamps, which can contain as much as 25 milligrams of mercury per unit.

EcoWaste called on governments that will be participating in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Thailand to take time to discuss the process and timetable of negotiating a global treaty to curb mercury pollution.

While recognizing the climate benefits of energy efficient mercury-ontaining lamps, the EcoWaste Coalition warned that improper disposal of broken or used lamps can release mercury into the biosphere and cause toxic pollution.

In the brochure distributed by the group, it described mercury, a highly toxic chemical, as a potent neurotoxicant that can cause adverse effects on the brain. Among other health issues, mercury can cause developmental deficits and delays among children.

“We know that cost-effective alternatives are not yet available for some mercury-containing products like fluorescent light bulbs. Some 80 percent of busted lamps are disposed of as domestic wastes in dumpsites or landfills where they are precariously retrieved, buried or burned,” EcoWaste president Manny Calonzo said.

“To reduce mercury releases from mercury lamp waste, we urge government agencies, manufacturers, distributors as well as institutional and household consumers to establish and support a system for environmentally managing lamps at the end of their useful lives,” he added.

The group explained that with the absence of a government policy on mercury lamp disposal, it has improvised steps to guide consumers on ecological management of mercury lamp waste.

“We have drawn up a 10-point step-by-step procedure on managing mercury lamp waste in the hope of safeguarding our consumers against toxic mercury exposure,” EcoWaste Coalition’s Project PROTECT (People Responding and Organizing against Toxic Chemical Threats) coordinator Thony Dizon said.

Among the steps cited by the group is to properly handle lamp waste by not throwing it away into the regular garbage bin or burning it.

It also urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, National Solid Waste Management Commission, and local government units to institute a collection program for mercury lamp waste, including drop-off points, for environmentally-sound storage.