This year, the amount of solid waste produced by Filipinos has surged by 275%, reaching a staggering 60,000 metric tons per day.
To put this in perspective, it is equivalent to filling approximately 24 Olympic-size swimming pools. In contrast, the figure stood at 16,000 metric tons in 2016.
Plastic waste accounts for around 30% to 40% of the total solid waste, according to Environment Undersecretary Jonas Leones, who spoke to reporters on World Environment Day, which took place on Monday.
During the event, Environment Secretary Antonia Yulo Loyzaga expressed her concern that the country was not making progress in the battle against single-use plastics.
“There’s a social issue attached to it and if you cannot address the social issue, we will not be able to address the use of single-use plastics,” she said.
Loyzaga called on large-scale businesses that heavily rely on plastic packaging to take responsibility and seek sustainable alternatives.
The Extended Producer Responsibility Act, which became law last year, mandates that big companies implement proper management policies for plastic packaging waste.
However, out of the 4,000 firms covered by the law, only 600 have taken steps to comply with its provisions.
To tackle the mounting garbage issue, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is considering prioritizing its programs for fast-moving consumer goods companies, as they are major contributors to the plastic waste problem.
Additionally, the DENR has intensified its waste management efforts by approving the 10-year solid waste management plans (SWMPs) submitted by 54 cities and municipalities through the National Solid Waste Management Commission.
