The Philippines, one of the world's leading contributors to marine plastic pollution, has enacted new legislation requiring large corporations to help fund waste management solutions. This initiative is expected to serve as a catalyst in the country's efforts to clean up its marine environment.

With a population of about 120 million, the Philippines generates about 1.7 million tons of post-consumer plastic waste each year, according to the World Bank. A study published in 2021 in the journal Science Advances also found that more than one-third of the world's ocean plastic comes from the Philippines.

Strengthening Plastic Waste Regulations

In 2022, the Philippines passed the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law-the country's strongest law to date holding companies accountable for plastic pollution. The first of its kind in Southeast Asia, the EPR imposes penalties on companies that fail to meet plastic waste management requirements.

The main goal of the policy is to achieve "plastic neutrality" through mechanisms that require manufacturers to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products, from design to post-consumer waste management. This approach encourages companies to design greener products and actively participate in recycling and removing waste from the environment.

As an initial measure, manufacturers are required to manage 20% of the total weight of plastic packaging they place on the market. This target will gradually increase to 80% by 2028.

The law covers various types of plastics, including flexible plastics, which are difficult to recycle and are often overlooked in waste collection processes. However, there is no ban on certain types of plastics, including single-use bags, which are common and difficult to recycle in the Philippines.

Implementation: Key to Success

Currently, about half of the companies that meet the criteria have already implemented EPR programs, and more than 1,000 more are expected to comply by the end of December. Failure to do so could result in fines of up to PHP 20 million (USD 343,000) or even the revocation of their business licenses.

This program also creates a source of funding for the government to support the collection and processing of plastic waste, which requires significant infrastructure investment. Developing countries, in particular, often face relatively high costs relative to their GDP to meet these needs.

Global Adoption of EPR

The concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has been widely adopted around the world, including in most European Union countries, the United States, and several Asian countries, including India, Japan, South Korea, Chile, and Colombia.

In Southeast Asia, both Indonesia and Vietnam have also implemented EPR regulations that require plastic producers to work with designated waste management organizations.