Possible notices for plastic waste law violators - DENR
Metro Manila, NewsWatch Plus - The government is considering going after companies that do not comply with a law regulating plastic packaging waste, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Thursday, Jan. 23.
Environment Undersecretary Jonas Leones told a news conference that more than 1,200 large companies with assets of more than P100 million are potential violators to the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act.
These are companies in the EPR registry that failed to submit audit reports and those that were flagged as large companies but did not enlist in the program.
As of December 2024, 779 out of the 978 registered companies submitted audit reports, according to DENR data.
He added that based on coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry, at least 2,000 industries should have enlisted in the scheme.
Based on audit reports, around 33% of enterprise plastic footprint has been recovered through recycling or reusing initiatives, among other schemes.
Lapsed into law in 2022, the EPR Act requires companies that generate plastic packaging waste to submit waste recovery programs and compliance to targets.
Enterprises should recover 20% of plastic product footprint in 2023. The target goes up to 80% by 2028 and beyond.
“After we have determined those industries that are really complying and refuse to comply despite information, despite notice, perhaps we’re looking at how we can revoke for example the ECC (environmental compliance certificate), the discharge permit, permits issued by the department,” Leones said.
He said the DENR hopes to encourage companies to comply, instead of focusing on imposing penalties, fines, and sanctions.
“We’re looking at the possibility of having a policy that will provide incentives to different companies so that they can really participate in implementing our EPR,” he said.
The multistakeholder National Plastic Action Partnership is also set to review the law’s implementation next year to improve compliance, said Floredama Eleazar of the United Nations Development Programme’s Philippines office.
