Volcanologists and scientists do their best in forecasting volcanic eruptions. Unfortunately, despite their best effort, it’s still hard to predict when volcanic eruptions will happen. This is one of the reasons why the residents of Taal, Philippines and nearby areas were caught off-guard when Taal Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the country, started spewing dark volcanic ashes. It prompted the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology to raise the Alert Level from 2 to 4, forcing people to evacuate.
The volcanic eruption left the affected areas looking like a black and white picture.
Everything- from roofs to farms- was covered in volcanic ash. Even roads were blanketed in thick ash. Many houses became unrecognizable, too.
This prompted some environmentalists and the government to come up with an interesting solution.
They asked residents to gather the fine grey ash, put it in sacks, and bring them to one of their factories. There, they mix the ash with plastic waste to create thousands of bricks per day.
It’s like hitting two birds with one stone.
Apart from the effects of the volcanic eruption, the country is also dealing with a huge waste crisis. Using plastic waste as a material for the bricks enable the government to help lessen the 60-million throwaway sachets they have every year.
City Mayor Walfredo Dimaguila shared:
“When the ash came, we thought we’d exchange the white sand which we mix with plastics to be converted into bricks with ash. We did it and they came out sturdy.”
Transforming a misfortune into an opportunity
He also said that the government is planning on selling the bricks and hollow blocks to interested companies. They will donate the proceeds to the residents greatly affected by the eruption.
Apart from that, officials also said that they will bring the bricks to the affected areas once they are in recovery. They should help in rebuilding schools, livelihood centers, and community halls.
The Philippine authorities are still keeping a wary eye on the Taal volcano.
The volcano’s activity has generally decreased and the government has lowered the alert level from 4 to 3. This allowed residents who are outside of the 7-kilometer permanent danger zone to get back to their homes.
However, despite that, the government is still reminding people to be alert and be ready in case the volcano starts showing signs of potential eruption again. They should be prepared to leave their homes and get to a safer place quickly.
The way the local government was able to come up with an idea to minimize waste and provide help to the people rebuilding their lives is just inspiring. Although a lot of people lost their properties, sources of income, and even beloved pets, they are still able to hope for a better and safe future.
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