DENR partners with other gov’t agencies to boost producer responsibility law on plastic waste

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Friday said it is joining forces with other national government agencies to integrate the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022 into their respective programs and initiatives, to support its drive for companies to comply with the law.

Solid waste management, once the sole responsibility of local government units under Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, has evolved with Republic Act 11898, or the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Act, which lapsed into law in July 2022. The latter compels large companies, called obliged enterprises, to implement EPR programs, focusing on efficient plastic packaging waste management, reduced plastic production, importation, supply, and usage, and promoting plastic neutrality via recovery and diversion methods.

Under the EPR Act, obliged enterprises are firms with total assets of over P100 million. They are mandated by law to recover or divert 20% of their plastic footprint—or the waste generated after their products have been sold and used by consumers, by end-2023. They may do this by initiating their own EPR schemes or by tapping a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) which can help firms in recycling, waste recovery, reuse, or other initiatives.

DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga advocates for a holistic approach involving the entire government and society to tackle the pressing issue of plastic pollution. This approach emphasizes the need for convergence and a shared purpose to achieve circularity.

"We are committed to continue on this journey by strategic engagement for the implementation of the EPR law. This includes scaling up of waste reduction, recovery and repurposing, and supporting product innovation that will catalyze circular economy," Loyzaga said.

To ensure compliance with the EPR law, the DENR has been working closely with key NGAs, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development for inclusive standards and safeguards in the informal waste sector; the Department of Science and Technology for an information hub on cleaner technology; the Department of Trade and Industry for waste management data and eco-label adoption; the Department of the Interior and Local Government for partnerships with Local Government Units and communities; the Department of Labor and Employment for fair wage policy implementation and the Department of Finance for fiscal incentive policies.

"As the lead agency in implementing the EPR law, we will be continuously collaborating with the different agencies, as well as the academe and the private sector. We will be looking for models, best practices, to implement successfully the EPR law," DENR Undersecretary Jonas R. Leones on the other hand said.

The DENR is in the thick of a nationwide EPR roadshow aimed at securing commitments from obliged enterprises across the country and exploring potential areas for collaboration among NGAs, LGUs, and development partners.