SINGLE USE PLASTICS: BANNED BY LAW, IGNORED IN REALITY

SINGLE USE PLASTICS: BANNED BY LAW, IGNORED IN REALITY

There’s good news—and then there’s the kind that makes you want to ask: “So what happened?”

Let’s start with the good: the Philippine Congress has done its job. Laws have been passed to ban single-use plastics. We have Republic Act 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, and more recently, the Extended Producer Responsibility Act (EPRA) of 2022. The legal framework is already there—solid, comprehensive, and ambitious.

Now for the bad news: the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), tasked to implement these laws, appears to be struggling. The question is—why?

Is it lack funds? Lack of personnel? A lack of political will? Or has the DENR simply become so overwhelmed by other environmental concerns that single-use plastics are now a forgotten battle? Another possibility: is it pressure from industry lobbies, quietly fighting behind the scenes to delay or dilute the rules?

Let’s be honest—there’s little point in having progressive laws if those tasked to enforce them cannot or will not deliver.

Back in 2020, the National Solid Waste Commission (NSWC)—an entity created under RA 9003—passed Resolution No. 1363, banning “unnecessary single-use plastics” in all government offices, from national agencies to LGUs. That was four years ago. And yet, walk into most barangay halls or municipal offices today and you’ll likely still see single-use plastic cups, food wrappers, and sachets everywhere.

Which begs the question: If the government can’t enforce the rules within its own offices, how can we expect the public to follow suit?

Now, I fully understand that the phrase “unnecessary single-use plastics” leaves a lot of room for interpretation. What’s “unnecessary” to one might be “essential” to another—especially to businesses that rely on cheap packaging to keep costs down. Unfortunately, such vague wording becomes a breeding ground for confusion—or worse, for corruption. Who decides what’s necessary? And under what standards?

Contrast that with the term “covered enterprises” under the EPRA. That’s crystal clear. These are companies that produce or use plastic packaging and are now legally obligated to recover, recycle, treat, or safely dispose of their post-consumer waste. That means no more excuses. The law clearly makes these companies accountable for the full life cycle of their plastic products.

And yet, plastic waste still clogs our waterways, landfills, and sadly, our beaches. So where are the promised systems of recovery, treatment, and recycling? Who’s checking compliance? And more importantly, who’s acting against those who are not complying.

I say this not to throw blame but to ask hard questions that deserve answers.

Even more troubling is the fact that barangays are mandated under the ESWA to establish Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs). These are supposed to act as sorting hubs—collecting recyclable waste like plastic, glass, aluminum, and paper so that they don’t end up in dumpsites or, worse, our rivers and seas. But how many barangays have MRFs? And among those that do, how many are functioning?

It’s time to accept a hard truth: after more than two decades, our solid waste management system remains ineffective. Not for lack of legislation, but because of poor enforcement and follow-through.

Let me point out, the DENR Secretary is the de facto Chairman of the NSWC, and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)—which is supposed to enforce the EPRA—is also under the DENR. In other words, the buck stops with DENR. And if we’re looking to turn things around, that’s exactly where we need to start.

So, may I suggest the following?

First, let’s conduct a national audit of all LGUs to determine how many have functional MRFs—and publish the results. Let the public see who’s doing their job and who’s not.

Second, instruct the DENR to issue clear and enforceable definitions of what qualifies as “unnecessary single-use plastics,” with zero room for misinterpretation.

Third, fast-track compliance inspections among covered enterprises and penalize violators. Big businesses have long profited from cheap, disposable packaging. It’s time they start paying the real environmental cost.

Lastly, let’s turn this problem into an opportunity. A well-enforced circular economy—where waste becomes a resource—could generate jobs, support micro-recyclers, and reduce our dependency on imports for materials like plastic pellets or even fuel.

Let’s not forget that we’re an archipelagic country. What we dump into our rivers will end up in our seas. What we neglect in our barangays will return to haunt us as floods, fish kills, and food insecurity.

We’ve passed the laws. The science is sound. The support from environmental groups is solid. All we need now is courage, clarity, and commitment from our institutions—starting with DENR.

It’s not too late to make the Philippines a regional leader in plastic waste reduction. But we must start with one simple act: enforce what’s already on the books.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

08-13-2025