The Philippines is environmentally in danger if we do not do anything. Look at these statistics from a recent report undertaken by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), cyclos GmbH, and AMH Philippines Inc, “Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Scheme Assessment for Plastic Packaging Waste in the Philippines”.
- Filipinos consume a yearly average of 20kg of plastics
- Of this number, 15.43kg/capita/year becomes waste
- The country has a low plastic recycling rate (9%) due largely to insufficient recycling capacities for high-value recyclables (i.e. PET, PP, HDPE) and the high volume of low-value plastics (including sachets)
- The Philippines leaks about 35% of its plastic waste into the environment
Joel Palma, WWF Executive Director, during a media forum where the study was discussed, said that addressing plastic pollution requires both upstream (production/pre-consumption) and downstream measures (consumption and post-consumption).
Czarina Constantino, WWF-Philippines’ National Lead for the No Plastics In Nature Initiative and Project Manager for Plastic Smart Cities, explained that a mandatory EPR system would make businesses more active in eliminating unnecessary plastics by redesigning their plastic packaging to be more eco-friendly and strengthening waste management. She also said that EPR would drive businesses to reduce plastics by including refilling options and eventually eliminate the leakage of plastic in nature.
What exactly is the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme?
It proposes a mandatory EPR scheme for all product packaging with a three-year transition phase for obliged businesses to redesign their product packaging and eliminate unnecessary plastics. For this customized EPR scheme to work, the report emphasizes that the responsibility of implementing the scheme for building high-quality recycling capacity should be assumed by a non-profit Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), acting as the system operator, with strict monitoring and control systems carried out by the government.
Basically, the goal is to move us from a linear economy (where resources are made into plastics, incorporated into manufacturing, consumed and disposed as waste) to a circular economy (where there is a conscious reduction of plastic use together with a shift to recyclable, reusable, and compostable plastic in order to reduce waste that enters the environment).
Nestlé Philippines – First in the Philippines to Volunteer for EPR
Arlene Bantoto, SVP and Head of Corporate Affairs and Communications of Nestlé Philippines, described her company’s plans for EPR: a 100% shift to paper straws for all its products by end-2020; solid waste management modules for Grades 1-10 in 10,000 schools, and achievement of plastic neutrality.
Plastic neutrality means that they recover plastic waste from the environment equivalent to the plastic they put out into the market. According to Arlene, they were able to achieve plastic neutrality in August and September 2020 and hope to continue doing so with the help of their partners.
The study is part of the No Plastic in Nature Initiative – WWF’s global initiative to stop the flow of plastics entering nature by 2030 through elimination of unnecessary plastics, doubling reuse, recycling and recovery, and ensuring remaining plastic is sourced responsibly. WWF-Philippines continues to work with cities on plastic leakage, policymakers to advocate for a global treaty on plastic pollution, businesses to transition to circular business models, and the general public to campaign and act.
You can read the full study on the WWF-Philippines website:
https://wwf.org.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/WWF_REPORT_EPR_Philippines.pdf
Let’s hope that by 2030, we would have managed to reduce, or even totally eliminate, plastic waste that continues to plague the Philippines. One big hurdle though that we will have to overcome is the ‘tingi’ (sachet) culture that started in the Philippines out of a consumer need. If there was a way to reduce this single-use plastic consumption, it will already go a long way to plastic waste reduction.
Maybe by then, I would not have to ecobrick anymore!