Philippine schools embrace waste-free initiatives with HCWM Project's Brigada Eskwela push

The Philippine Healthcare and Mercury Wastes Management Project (HCWM Project) recently took part in the Brigada Eskwela clean-up at Jose P. Laurel Sr. High School (JPLSHS). Alongside school staff and volunteers, the team helped tidy classrooms and grounds while promoting better waste management practices.

The event also featured a special visit from Nurse Susie, the campaign’s mascot, who engaged students in activities centred on the project’s 4Cs theme song and waste-reduction message.

During the activity, the HCWM Project donated colour-coded bins to JPLSHS. These bins will help the school improve its waste segregation system by making it easier to sort different types of refuse.

Jam Lorenzo, the HCWM Project Manager, stressed the need for greater public awareness about waste handling in hospitals and the wider environment. The project focuses on reducing plastic waste, encouraging reusable alternatives over single-use plastics, and teaching communities near partner hospitals how to manage waste properly. Alongside the clean-up, BAN Toxics introduced its Toxics-Free and Waste-Free Schools Program (TFSP) to the JPLSHS community. The programme aims to educate students and teachers about hazardous chemicals in schools, improve chemical and waste management, and create learning materials to protect them from toxic exposure. Nurse Susie, the campaign’s mascot, played a key role in promoting the 4Cs theme song and the project’s broader goals. Her appearance helped highlight the importance of cutting down plastic waste and adopting safer, more sustainable practices in schools and hospitals alike.

The partnership between the HCWM Project and JPLSHS marks a step toward better waste management in schools. With new colour-coded bins and educational support, the school can now strengthen its segregation efforts.

Future collaborations under the TFSP could further enhance safety measures, ensuring students and staff are better protected from hazardous waste and chemicals.