Cleaning up the campaign trail

The 2025 midterm election may be over, but the pollution it left behind still looms large.

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According to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the agency collected up to 20 tons of campaign materials per day during the peak of the election season. These materials—mostly tarpaulins, PVC plastic, and other non-biodegradable items—once served as instruments of political expression, but now pose serious environmental threats.

When left unmanaged, these materials can clog waterways, damage natural resources, and pile up in landfills—contributing further to climate change and biodiversity loss.

To address the waste left by the elections, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) launched a nationwide campaign encouraging the collection, repurposing, reuse, and recycling of campaign materials. The Environmental Management Bureau, in collaboration with civic groups like Green Convergence, led this initiative to help mitigate the environmental impact of discarded election paraphernalia.