DENR: Philippines loses $890 million annually to recyclable plastic dumping

MANILA, Philippines —  The country loses $890 million a year because of indiscriminate dumping of recyclable plastic instead of repurposing it, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said yesterday.

In her speech during the celebration of Earth Day, Loyzaga said the country produces around 2.7 million tons of plastic waste each year, with most of it ending in landfills, dumpsites, rivers and water supply systems.

“However, about 20 percent of this ends up in our oceans. Over and above our organic waste, plastic for our market needs, food wrapping and packaging for our consumers all make up the 61,000 metric tons of solid waste we produce daily,” Loyzaga said.

This year’s Earth Day is an urgent call to face a deadly challenge against plastic, she added.

Loyzaga pointed out that many are unaware plastics have traditionally been made from oil, natural gas, or coal – the very fossil fuel sources that have driven climate change.

“On a daily basis, we consume plastics in the fish caught in the seas, through the substandard water bottles we use and in the very air we breathe. Microplastics have been found in raindrops and are being studied for their impact on clouds and climate change,” she added.

To address the issue, she said the government passed the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022 or the EPR Law, which shifted the burden of collecting used plastic from local governments to the producers and manufacturers.

“Over 800 large-scale companies have registered and committed to reducing plastic use through the substitution and development of sustainable packaging solutions and collection, treatment and recycling initiatives. They have also committed to education and raising awareness of the environmental impact of plastic pollution,” Loyzaga noted.

She stressed that the government and the corporations cannot do it alone, adding that transformation toward a plastics-free world begins at home.

“Together, we can win this battle of planet vs. plastics. Every step we take counts, and we will need to work as one. It is our choice to act today or let our plastic waste determine our tomorrow. Earth Day must be every day. We will fight to win the war of Planet vs. Plastics. We must embrace the environment for life,” she added.

Meanwhile, the environmental group Center for Energy, Ecology and Development (CEED) yesterday asked President Marcos to declare a national climate emergency amid the impact of El Niño in the country.

At a press conference, CEED executive director Gerry Arances said the damage El Niño brought to the agriculture sector has reached almost P4 billion, and it could still get worse in the next days.

“Today, together with other organizations, we urge President Marcos to declare a national climate emergency as the effect of the El Niño that we are currently experiencing is expected to exacerbate,” Arances said, adding that the government’s preparations to minimize the impact of the phenomenon were inadequate.

“We are experiencing a different kind of El Niño as in the past weeks the heat index already reached almost 50 degrees Celsius. Its damage to agriculture already reached billions, as well as in the fish catch. We expect more problems in the next weeks and months,” he added.

Arances said Marcos should acknowledge that the current El Niño is different from the previous drought. “Extraordinary measures are needed. Government officials are still treating climate change as business as usual. For us, we are warning that we should expect it to exacerbate.”

He said the declaration of a national climate emergency is necessary for national survival.

Batang Bantay Kalikasan

The city government of Pasig launched yesterday the Batang Bantay Kalikasan or BBK project, which aims to empower the youth in the campaign for the protection of the environment, and did a tree-planting activity in observance of this year’s Earth Day.

The BBK officers, led by Samantha Nicole Salingay of De Castro Elementary School, from 21 public schools in Pasig took their oath during the flag-raising ceremony of the employees and officials of the city.

The city government handed over the BBK badge to its officers to symbolize the recognition of the city government to the group.

It also encouraged all private companies in the city to join the search for the “Most Sustainable Landscape” as part of the push to create green spaces in support of the Green Building Ordinance of Pasig.

After the flag-raising ceremony, Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto and other city officials led the ribbon-cutting for the Earth Day fair at the city hall lobby where 10 exhibitors participated in showcasing their environment-friendly products.

Sotto, along with Vice Mayor Robert Jaworski Jr., city councilors, representatives from the Mint College of Ortigas, AsiaLink and Department of Education -Schools Division office of Pasig led the tree-planting and growing activity at the Pasig Central Elementary School. ­