Fight vs plastics ‘not yet over’ – Loyzaga
“WE are not yet winning the war against plastic pollution.”
This was admitted by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Antonia Loyzaga during Monday’s local celebration of World Environment Day with the theme, “No To Waste: Advancing Circular Economy to #BeatPlasticPollution.”
Loyzaga acknowledged the support that the DENR has been receiving from different sectors in their campaign against plastic pollution, but “there are still social issues that need to be addressed.”
To intensify its campaign against plastic pollution, Loyzaga renewed its commitment to fight plastic pollution and build a “circular plastics economy.”
According to Jonas Leones, DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs, garbage generation in 2016 was only 16,000 metric tons per day.
At present, the garbage generation per day increased to 60,000 metric tons, wherein 30% to 40% of this is plastic waste.
The United Nations (UN), on the other hand, reported that over 400 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide every year, one-third of which is used just once.
It also said that every day, the equivalent of over 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic is dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers and lakes.
Loyzaga disclosed that they are targeting to end plastic pollution in the country through a circular economy where all plastic applications are reused, recycled, and responsibly managed during and after use while enabling a lower greenhouse gas emissions plastic economy.
In January this year, Loyzaga signed the implementing rules and regulations of the Republic Act (RA) 11898, or the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022.
The EPR law aims to address the mismanagement of plastic waste and uphold circularity by maximizing the material value of plastics as it serves as the environmental policy approach and practice that requires producers to be environmentally responsible throughout the life cycle of a product, especially its post-consumer or end-of-life stage.
Meanwhile, the local celebration of World Environment Day commenced with a tree-planting activity led by Loyzaga and other senior DENR officials at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City.
