Press Release
July 27, 2022

EPR, a good start - Villar

The Extended Producer's Responsibility Act of 2022 or RA No. 11898 lapsed into law on 22 July 2022.

Senator Cynthia Villar is calling on all sectors to assist in its implementation through strict implementation, monitoring and innovation. Sen. Villar is the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment, who shepherded the passage of this legislation along with her counterpart in the House of Representatives, Rep. Glona Labadlabad. EPR is an approach at waste reduction that seeks to lodge environmental responsibility to the producer throughout the lifecycle of a product.

She urges the public and especially the organizations fighting for better solid waste management, to see it as an opportunity.

"It is a good start", Villar says. The law introduces the concept of EPR and a circular economy and mandates the DENR to formulate a national framework on EPR for all types of wastes. It mandates targets on the recovery of plastic wastes initially and requires large enterprises or those above MSME levels to set up an EPR program within six months from the effectivity of the act.

These programs are intended to achieve plastic neutrality through efficient management of plastic packaging waste, reduced production, importation supply or use of plastic packaging deemed low in reusability, retrievability or recyclability. It sets rising targets for plastic recovery each year until 2028 when these enterprises are expected to achieve 80% neutrality.

It also activates the National Ecology Center, created under RA 9003 and mandates it to assess the volume of other generated wastes for inclusion in the EPR scheme.

"We had to limit the EPR to plastic packaging and to large enterprises for now, which could be viewed as compromises, to be sure" Villar says, "but then, it is important to note that the law also requires an EPR framework and an assessment of volumes of other generated wastes that will allow the expansion of the scheme to include wastes with the most problematic components or volumes."

Villar expresses confidence that a convergence of initiatives among these mandated large enterprises, medium and small scale producers voluntarily joining the program, and households and families who earnestly make an effort to reduce their wastes, will make a difference.

"All over the country, the current and near future landfill capacity will not be able to accommodate the expected waste generated. Waste recovery in an archipelago is no small matter and will not be cheap. It is time to place the responsibility of retrieving these wastes in the hands of the producers while still calling on the citizenry to do the appropriate thing and reduce, reuse, segregate, recycle and compost." Villar adds.


EPR, magandang simula - Villar

Nag-lapse into law ang Extended Producer's Responsibility Act of 2022 o

RA No. 11898 noong 22 July 2022.

Dahil dito, nanawagan si Senator Cynthia A. Villar sa lahat ng sektor na tumulong sa istriktong pagpapatupad ng batas na ito.

Isinulong ni Villar, Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Environment noong nakaraang 18th Congress, ang pagsasabatas EPR Act kasama ang kanyang counterpart sa House na si Rep. Glona Labadlabad.

"EPR is an approach at waste reduction that seeks to lodge environmental responsibility to the producer throughout the lifecycle of a product," sabi ni Villar.

Aniya, dapat makita ng publiko at ng mga lumalaban para sa mas mahusay na waste management na isa itong oportunidad sa kanilang adhikain.

"It is a good start", ayon pa sa senador.

Itinatakda sa batas ang konsepto ng EPR at circular economy at inaatasan ang DENR na maglatag ng national framework sa EPR para sa lahat ng klase ng basura.

Target ng batas ang recovery ng plastic wastes. Inuutusan din malalaking industriya na magtayo ng EPR program sa loob ng anim na buwan simula nang maging epektibo ang batas.

"We have to limit the EPR to plastic packaging and to large enterprises for now, which could be viewed as compromises, to be sure" giit ni Villar.

Nakapaloob din dito ang EPR framework at assessment ng dami ng ibang basura.

Kumpiyansa si Villar na magkakaroon ng malaking pagbabago kung magtutulungan ang malalaking enterprises, medium at small scale producers at mga kabahayan para mabawasan ang basura sa ating kapaligiran.

Nagbabala ang senador na hindi kakayanin ng ating landfill ang tambak na basura kundi tayo gagawa ng paraan na mabawasan ang mga ito.

"Waste recovery in an archipelago is no small matter and will not be cheap. It is time to place the responsibility of retrieving these wastes in the hands of the producers while still calling on the citizenry to do the appropriate thing and reduce, reuse, segregate, recycle and compost." dagdag pa niya.

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