What Is The 2022 Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law in The Philippines?
In late July 2022, the Philippines’ 2022 EPR Act (Republic Act No. 11898) came into force, officially holding companies responsible for the plastic they produce and consume during the lifecycle of their products.
The purpose of the law is to address the country’s plastic waste crisis and hold producers accountable for their contribution. Whereas previously, manufacturers were only responsible for the impact of actual production, the new law now covers the entire lifecycle of the products they produce from manufacture, use, to end-of-life.
The Philippines is the third-largest contributor to plastic waste in the world and biggest contributor of plastic waste into the ocean. The Philippines generates an estimated 3.5 million tons of plastic waste every year, of which only 9% is recycled. The Pasig River, which flows through the heart of Manila, is one of the most polluted rivers in the world, with an estimated 70% of the plastic waste in the river coming from single-use plastics.
The EPR law applies to large enterprises with total assets worth more than PHP100 million that produce or import plastic packaging and requires them to develop and implement an EPR program that includes plans for the reduction of plastic packaging waste, plans for the recovery and recycling of plastic packaging waste, and systems for monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the program. Targets set by the government are to recover 20% of plastic packaging by 2023, 40% by 2024, and 80% by 2028. Companies that fail to meet their targets will face fines.
The EPR law is a significant step forward in the Philippines’ efforts to reduce plastic pollution and is the first law in the country to hold producers responsible for the waste generated by their products. The law is expected to help reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills and the environment as a small step towards tackling the country’s plastic waste crisis.
How can Dana Asia help companies in the Philippines meet their new EPR targets?
The new EPR law is complex and it can be difficult for companies to know how to make the changes necessary to be compliant. Dana Asia can help you through this process by making recommendations for ways companies can offset their plastic waste in an impactful and sustainable way.
Dana Asia funds and advises various community-based projects in the Philippines that involve plastic collection and recycling, coordination of plastic waste transportation to processing facilities, and facilitating partnerships between LGUs, communities, and the informal waste sector to recover plastic waste. Our CSR advisory service works with companies to maximise the effectiveness of any existing programs, or help companies develop new EPR programs that meet legal requirements and are highly impactful.
