Baguio City in the Philippines has successfully reduced its trash output by 50 metric tons during the Yuletide season, thanks to its adoption of a circular economy model. The city traditionally generated 250 metric tons of waste daily, but after abandoning waste-to-energy projects, it focused on reducing wasteful consumption. To achieve this, the city administration implemented measures such as requiring households to sort recyclables from residual waste, collecting kitchen waste for composting, and banning single-use plastic bags. The city also commercialized upcycled products made from repurposed materials. The European Union has provided financial backing for Baguio’s circular economy initiative, which aims to produce new goods from waste and minimize resource extraction. The city has also piloted innovative technologies such as using black soldier fly larvae to convert food waste to compost or fertilizer. The initiative has attracted interest from EU diplomats and local startups, and the city plans to offer incentives for upcycled waste products and implement ordinances requiring public institutions to procure upcycled goods.
Baguio City slashes its trash output by 50 tons through the implementation of circular economy strategies
