âCompanies slow in complying with law on waste disposalâ
With only 900 of the 4,000 obligated companies having complied, a lawmaker reiterated the urgency for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to enforce the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law of 2022 to guarantee the proper disposal and recycling of plastic waste by major corporations.
While lauding the Marcos administrationâs recent partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF) on mobilizing communities behind the protection of the blue carbon ecosystem and the reduction of plastic pollution, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte believes that these efforts should be accompanied by strict enforcement of the EPR Law.
âThe EPR Law will mean nothing in our countryâs green quest for a circular economy unless the DENR implements it in a more stringent manner in order to increase compliance by big companies with its mandate for them to sign up and commit to the sustainable way of disposing of their waste, especially single-use plastics,â Villafuerte said.
Both agreements on environmental protection were signed by Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, on behalf of the Philippines, and WEF Center for Nature and Climate managing director Neo Gim Huay, for the Geneva-based organization, on the sidelines of last yearâs 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
He highlighted the importance of holding manufacturers, distributors, and retailers accountable for the disposal of their productsâ plastic packaging after consumer use.
Failure to comply with the EPR Law could result in significant fines and the suspension of business permits for offending enterprises.
Villafuerte also underscored the need for the DENR to prioritize the implementation of the EPR Law in alignment with President Marcosâs nationwide clean-up initiative, âKalinisan sa Bagong Pilipinas.â
Citing a 2023 study conducted by the DENR and partner institutions, Villafuerte revealed alarming statistics regarding plastic pollution in the Philippines.
He said urgent action is required to address the environmental and health hazards posed by plastic waste.
Villafuerte was one of the lead proponents of Republic Act 11898, which institutionalized the practice of EPR in waste management that imparts on producers, in coordination with their distributors and retailers, the responsibility of properly and effectively disposing of their products after they have been sold to and used by consumers.
He explained that the goal of RA 11898, or the EPR Law, is to reduce waste generation and improve the recyclability or reusability of such waste as plastic containers or packaging materials as part of a holistic approach to switching to an eco-friendly circular economy.
âSadly, though, this government drive to reverse the worsening plastic waste pollution appears to be suffering from perfunctory implementation after Yulo-Loyzaga herself revealed last year that only about 600, or 15, of the 4,000 enterprises obliged to practice EPR have thus far registered, in compliance with the EPR Law.â
Reports said that DENR revealed that as of February, the number of obliged companies that have registered in compliance with the EPR has increased to 900.
But this number, as of February 2024, represents only 22.5 percent of the 4,000 obliged companies, Villafuerte said.
He explained that under RA 11898, enterprises obliged to practice EPR that fail to register or comply with this law face fines ranging from P5 million to P20 million and automatic suspension of business permits, depending on whether the violators have committed their first, second, or third offenses.
Villafuerte said that among the plastic-based products covered by RA 11898 are sachets, labels, laminates, and other flexible plastic packaging products; rigid plastic packaging products like containers for beverages, food, home, personal care, and cosmetic products, including their coverings, caps, or lids; and other necessities or promotional items such as cutlery, plates, drinking straws, or sticks, tarps, signage, or labels.
Included, too, are plastic bags, particularly the single-use plastic ones used for carrying or transporting goods and provided or utilized at the point of sale; and polystyrene, which is a resin of synthetic origin used in making food trays or containers, disposable eating utensils, and foamed cups, bowls, and plates, he said.
Obliged enterprises are, under the law, required to establish and implement an auditing system to monitor and assess their compliance performance with RA 11898 and their EPR programs, he said, and are mandated to engage independent third-party auditors to certify the veracity of their respective reported plastic product footprint generation, recovery, and EPR program compliance.
Source: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2024/05/06/companies-slow-in-complying-with-law-on-waste-disposal/