Whenever I travel to other countries, one thing I often admire is how much importance they give to recycling and proper waste segregation. In the Philippines, it’s no secret that consumerism is prevalent — even more so during the pandemic; but at the same time, the country’s landfills and dumpsites are practically overflowing with waste. Even more disheartening is knowing that given the proper care, a lot of what is tossed away could actually be put to better use.
Enter: Trash Panda, a waste collection and coaching app created by the eco-conscious minds behind local startup company Circula Recoon. While still in its early stages, this young brand is taking much needed strides to encourage more Pinoys to embrace a more eco-friendly lifestyle — and we absolutely love how they’re doing it.
Also read: I’m Minimising My Online Shopping This Year — Here’s Why
Trash Panda: Making an eco-friendly lifestyle more attainable
As CirculeRecoon puts it, Trash Panda is an “on-demand recoverable waste collection and coaching app.” Basically, this means that this service allows you to put your waste to better use without the need to step out of your home. Not only that — the company is already developing the app’s “Coaching Corner” feature, which they consider a vital part of their service; this will include tutorials on how to make proper waste management a regular part of your lifestyle.
So, how exactly does the service work?
At the time of writing, Trash Panda is available on Google Play (but working on reaching non-Android users soon!). They recently launched their web app as well, so you can make your bookings via desktop. While they’re working on expanding their coverage, the service presently covers select areas in Metro Manila and Rizal:
- Makati
- Mandaluyong
- Manila
- Marikina
- Parañaque
- Pasay
- Pateros
- Pasig
- Quezon City
- San Juan
- Taguig
- Cainta
Items accepted
Currently, Trash Panda only accepts the following:
- Plastics
- Paper
- Cardboard
- Metals
- Used beverage cartons
Steps
The process, thankfully, is easy as 1-2-3! Here’s all you need to do:
- Download the Trash Panda app and sign up for an account.
- Fill out the booking form.
- Wait for the collector to arrive on your preferred date. You will receive reminders before and on the day of your scheduled pick-up via your provided contact details. You may also check on the status and location of your collector via the app.
- Make sure to prepare your items appropriately. These must be clean, dry, and free of residue and strong smells. You can check out the complete list of instructions here.
- The collector will weigh and record the recyclable waste upon arrival. Info will be reflected on the app.
- Trash Panda will inform you where your waste will go. (You can be sure that it won’t be going to landfills, dumpsites, rivers, or seas!) You can possibly also receive cashback from the recyclers.
Note: Trash Panda collectors reserve the right to refuse the collection of items not cleaned and prepared as instructed.
Also read: 8 Things We’re No Longer Buying in 2021
We love that Trash Panda doesn’t just plan to do the waste collecting for us — through their app, they’ll also be sharing how to embrace an eco-friendly lifestyle in a doable manner. You know what they say: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
During a time where habits like online shopping and hoarding products are widespread, we definitely need initiatives like Trash Panda’s now more than ever. Here’s to embracing better habits and being kinder to Mother Earth!
For more information, you may visit Trash Panda’s official Facebook page or Circula Recoon’s official website.
Featured image credit: Science Photo Library via Canva Pro
