The research project titled "Promoting Community-based Air Pollution Monitoring and Establishment of a Bucket Brigade" provides an opportunity to grassroots and community leaders to strengthen their skills in monitoring polluting facilities within their respective areas.

The first phase of the project aims to provide a capacity-building workshop on environmental monitoring and skillshare training on the use of a "bucket", a low-cost sampling equipment that can collect air pollutants using the "grab" technique. This low-cost air testing bucket is approved by the US-EPA and can be used to test more than 70 Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and 20 sulphuric compounds. (More information about this method may be found here: http://www.bucketbrigade.net/). Different grassroots groups and communities affected by polluting facilities will be participating in this important training.

The second phase of the project aims to set-up a "bucket brigade" in Barangay Maguyam, Silang in the province of Cavite. The said barangay is a heavily populated barangay and also hosts one of the largest hazardous and industrial waste treatment facilities in the country. Residents living near the facility have been complaining for years of foul odours and smells coming from the plant. Incidents of chemical leaks from the said plant in the past have already caused many residents to be hospitalized because of various health complaints such as dizziness, stomach aches, chest pains and breathing problems, among others.

The "bucket brigade" will be composed of residents of the said barangay who will conduct air sampling using the bucket. The samples will be sent to a certified laboratory for testing. The results of the test will then be forwarded to the local government units and concerned national agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The results will be used also by the residents and EcoWaste Coalition to strengthen our campaign on implementation of mandatory full information disclosure for polluters and industries and lobby to impose stricter pollution penalties. [Oct. 2013]