Life in Plastic: A Forewarning to the Philippines

According to a recent study published by the Ocean Cleanup in April, the Philippines was regarded as the largest country that contributes to ocean plastic pollution. It was observed that the country accounts for 28% of the rivers that discharge single-use plastics (SUPs) out into the ocean, producing approximately 356,371 metric tons of mismanaged plastic waste (MPW) per year on average.

The 27-kilometer Pasig River topped the list contributing 63,000 tons of plastic waste, while six other Philippine rivers were also included among the top 10. These include: Tullahan, Meycauayan, Pampanga, Libmanan, Rio de Grande de Mindanao, and Agno. “The Philippines alone contributes around one-third of the global total,” stated the report.

This is in stark contrast with how the country prides itself in its award-winning islands, serving as perfect getaway destinations for tourists and locals alike. In 2020, New York-based travel magazine Travel+Leisure put Palawan at the No.1 spot of its “Top 25 Islands in the World”  beating the likes of Bali, Maui, and Bora-bora.

Given this slap-in-the-face wake-up call, the urgency to address this worsening issue has skyrocketed. Cleanup and beautification initiatives can only go so far. Now, more than ever, advocates are pushing the government to implement a national policy on SUPs. Past attempts to pass a comprehensive law on this matter have proven to be unsuccessful, to say the least.

“I think it’s urgent there should be a national policy on this,” affirmed Rachel Anne Herrera, the Commissioner for the Climate Change Commission. She added that at least 500 cities, municipalities, and provinces already have existing SUP-related ordinances, but these will often differ in the types of plastics that are prohibited from being used which only generates more confusion down the line.

Plastic grocery bags, bottles, straws, containers, cups, cutlery, and packaging for food and other merchandise are among the most common types of SUPs that are prevalent. Additionally, around 91% of the plastic wastes in the country collected by the Break Free From Plastic Movement for its Brand Audit Report in 2020 were considered as nonrecyclables like sachets.

In fact, the Philippines generated at least 164 million sachets as part of its wastes in 2019 alone. Somewhere between 95% and 99% of SUPs are made from petrochemicals, which only exacerbates environmental concerns when burned putting incineration and similar types of waste disposal as less than ideal solutions.

Along these lines, Herrera believes that “there should be a uniform, unified, collaborative approach so everyone gets the benefits of the plastics regulation or ban.” Experts that conducted The Pew Charitable Trusts’ report titled “Breaking the Plastic Wave” further stress that unless major shifts in national policies, business operations, and consumer practices are made, plastic wastes in the ocean will highly likely triple in volume by 2040.

This is by no means a small matter. Aside from aggravating the climate crisis, it also proves to severely disrupt the ocean’s thriving ecosystem. Moreover, fish and other aquatic species will only continue to consume broken-down plastics — more commonly known as microplastics — which could eventually end up on a person’s next meal presenting significant risks to public health, food security, and livelihoods of fisherfolk.

“Unless the plastics value chain is transformed in the next two decades, the compounding risks for marine species and ecosystems, our climate, our economy, and our communities will become unmanageable,” cautioned the experts.

The sudden outbreak of the global pandemic also plays a significant role in increasing the plastic wastes generated by the country. Masks, face shields, and other personal protective equipment are constantly thrown in rivers which add up to the millions.

Currently, four bills geared towards this growing issue are pending at the Senate’s committee level. On the other hand, the House of Representatives recently approved House Bill No. 9147’s (HB 9147) second reading just this month. Should these be passed into laws, businesses and consumers will most likely follow suit.

HB 9147 hopes to regulate the production, sale, distribution, collection, recycling, and disposal of SUPs. Among its provisions include the phaseout of “non-compostable” SUPs as well as the banning of drinking straws, stirrers, and similar products within a year. It also aims to review the recyclability of plastic bottles, packaging, and other products layered with other materials every two years.

There is also an extended producer’s responsibility (EPR) scheme in the works “where private companies using plastic will be responsible for paying the cost of its collection, sorting, recycling, and safe disposal.” This is essential, especially as consumers gain an increasing awareness regarding the sustainability practices of the companies that they choose to support.

While these are appropriate on the national and corporate levels, waste management on the household and community levels puts the responsibility upon a collaboration between local governments and the individuals.

Nonetheless, these efforts not only support the genuine need to completely shift away from SUPs but also prove the possibility of a close-to-plastic-free nation. “These plastic bans can be successfully implemented as long as there is strong political will to do so,” said Greenpeace campaigner Virginia Benosa-Llorin.

References: Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, PhilStar, CNN PH