ILOILO CITY — The discovery of 188 discarded e-cigarettes during this year’s International Coastal Cleanup has prompted the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Western Visayas to call for stronger local rules and dedicated disposal systems for electronic waste.

The e-cigarettes were among the waste collected during the Sept. 19 cleanup, with 110 found in coastal barangays in Capiz, 30 in Iloilo and 26 in Guimaras, according to DENR-Western Visayas.

The agency said the findings highlight a growing concern over the improper disposal of electronic waste, particularly e-cigarettes, which contain materials that can pose risks to marine ecosystems.

“We must be mindful of the waste we generate, as improper disposal can pose a serious risk to our oceans,” DENR-Western Visayas officer-in-charge Regional Executive Director Ramar Niel Pascua said.

“The fight against marine pollution continues to evolve, and we need stronger local ordinances and dedicated systems for the proper disposal of electronic waste,” he added.

According to the DENR, discarded e-cigarettes can introduce single-use plastics, heavy metals, lithium-ion batteries, nicotine salts and residual e-liquid into the environment.

The agency said these materials can pose toxic risks to fish, sea turtles and other marine organisms when improperly discarded.

Pascua also urged e-cigarette users to take responsibility for disposing of their devices properly.

“By keeping our oceans healthy, we help ensure that they can continue to sustain and nourish our communities,” he said.

More than 5,000 volunteers participated in the coastal cleanup across Western Visayas, collecting a total of 11,322.585 kilograms of waste, equivalent to 1,401 sacks.

Plastic beverage bottles remained the most commonly collected item, with 13,274 pieces, followed by food wrappers at 10,211 and cigarette butts at 9,957.

Oton, Iloilo recorded the highest number of plastic beverage bottles collected in the region at 3,024, followed by Guimaras with 2,867 and Capiz with 2,850.

Barangay Sua in San Dionisio, Iloilo recorded the largest number of food wrappers, with 3,300 pieces.

For cigarette butts, 3,583 were collected at Lambingan Beach and Jetty Port in Pook, Kalibo, Aklan; 3,038 in Barangay Poblacion, Culasi, Antique; and 2,350 in coastal communities in Roxas City and Pilar, Capiz.

The DENR said the volume and variety of waste collected underscore the need to strengthen waste management at the community level, including systems specifically designed to keep electronic waste and other hazardous materials out of waterways and coastal areas.