 |
| Preventing Single-Use Plastic | Greenpeace USA |
According
to a report published by the Senate Economic Planning Office of the Senate of the
Philippines, most of the country’s solid wastes commonly contain more organic
components like food scraps than materials made out of plastic and rubber.[1]
Additionally, the same report also emphasized that Republic Act (RA) 9003 or
the Ecological Waste Management Act of 2000 focuses more on the composting of
biodegradable materials rather than the recycling of plastic waste because, “disposed
waste in Philippine households is dominated by biodegradable waste with 52
percent, followed by recyclable waste which accounts for 28 percent and
residuals at 18 percent.” [2]
However,
the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) published a report
stating that 74 percent of all household waste comes from plastic packaging
produced by multinational companies (MNCs) like Nestlé, Unilever, and Procter
and Gamble (P&G).[3] According
to the same report, MNCs such as Unilever accounted for 11.63 percent of the
plastic waste while Nestlé accounted for 10.32 percent and another 9.86 percent
from P&G.[4]
Likewise, Greenpeace Philippines also conducted a study which stated that
Nestlé and Unilever contribute greatly to plastic pollution, accounting for
1.88 million metric tons (MMT) of plastic waste.[5]
In
contrast to the reports published by GAIA and Greenpeace Philippines, MNCs like
Unilever commit to ensure all of their packaging materials are, “reusable,
recyclable, and compostable.”[6] Apart
from this, Nestlé also pledged to reduce and discontinue all of their non-recyclable,
single-use plastic manufacturing by the year 2050 in order to reduce plastic
pollution in the country.[7] All of these commitments were issued to address
the results of the studies conducted by Greenpeace Philippines and GAIA.[8]
Equally
noteworthy, the problem of plastic pollution is commonly treated not as a
behavioral problem of the continued usage of single-use plastic packaging but
as a technical issue.[9]
The utilization of unregulated dumpsites and landfills strengthen the idea that
proper plastic waste disposal laws like RA 9003 in the Philippines are
neglected and lack proper implementation.[10]
Although the Philippine government has issued laws regarding the disposal of
plastic waste such as RA 9003, “there is still a need to properly and
effectively implement these laws on the local and household level”, according
to a report by Vella Atienza of the United Nations. [11]
[1]
Senate Economic Planning Office, Philippine Solid Wastes, 4.
[2] Ibid.
[3]
GAIA, Plastics Exposed, 29.
[4] Ibid.
[5]
Greenpeace Philippines, Nestlé, Unilever, and P&G among Worst Plastic
Polluters, September 22, 2017.
[6]
Unilever, press release, January 14, 2017.
[7] Nestlé,
press release, January 15, 2019.
[8]
Greenpeace Philippines, Nestlé, Unilever, and P&G among Worst Plastic
Polluters, September 22, 2017.
[9]
Atienza, State of the 3Rs in Asia and the Pacific, 20.
[10]
Galarpe, Review on the impacts of waste disposal, 379-385.
[11]
Ibid.
Help Save The Environment
One of the many ways you can save the environment is by habituating and practicing sustainable means i.e. not using single-use plastic and plastic packaging by using reusable tote bags etc.
Another way you can help the environment is by encouraging other people to practice a sustainable lifestyle and by sharing to them the dangers and harms of single-use plastics, or of plastics in general, to the environment and its animal inhabitants.
Lastly, you can help by signing petitions that aim to promote sustainable living.
Quick Links
Greenpeace Philippines
Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Plastic Petition - World Wildlife Fund
Main Page | ThinkTalk
Bibliography
Atienza, Vella. State of the 3Rs in Asia and the Pacific: The Republic of the Philippines.
Periodic, Tokyo: United Nations Centre for Regional Development, 2017, 20.
Galarpe, Van Ryan Kristopher R. “Review on the Impacts of Waste Disposal Sites in the
Philippines”. Science International, 29, no.1 (2017): 379-385.
Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA). Plastics Exposed: How Waste
Assessments and Brand Audits are helping Philippine Cities fight Plastic Pollution. Research, Quezon City: GAIA, 2018, 29.
Greenpeace Philippines. “Nestlé, Unilever, and P&G among the worst offenders for plastic
pollution in the Philippines for beach audit”. Greenpeace Philippines, September 22,
2017.
Nestlé Incorporated. “Nestlé accelerates action to tackle plastic waste”. Nestlé Inc. press
release, January 15, 2019.
Senate of the Philippines. At A Glance: Philippine Solid Wastes. Research, Pasay City: Senate
Economic Planning Office, 2017, 4.
Unilever Company. “Unilever commits to 100% Recyclable Plastic Packaging by 2025”.
Unilever Co. press release, January 14, 2017.