A popular proverb says that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." In this sense, we have taken many steps towards moving away from our plastic-filled legacy, from banning single-use plastics such as straws in certain cities to encouraging the use of recyclable materials from the private sector. However, our journey has just started.
In a way, plastics are ingrained in our culture; instead of bottles of shampoo, majority of the population often opt for single-use sachets. Beverages served in sari-sari stores are often consumed from plastic bags and sipped through plastic straws. Can we really blame consumers for this plastic crisis, when we have built such a reliance on this ubiquitous material? Just as this problem has no singular cause, there is no single solution to undoing our plastic legacy. We must take a holistic approach to addressing this issue, with responsibility and accountability at its core.
This is where Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) comes in. By recognizing that we must tackle this issue at its source, we can perhaps move towards a greener, more sustainable future. As the Chief Sustainability Officer of P&A Grant Thornton and a member (and recently inducted Director for Club Administration and Vice President) of the Rotary Club of Makati, I advocate for the urgency to act on this crisis.
On June 24, 2024, our Firm, P&A Grant Thornton, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Makati, held a hybrid public forum on sustainability focused on plastic pollution and titled “Unwrapping Change: Transforming the Philippines from its Plastic Legacy thru EPR." Featuring speakers and panelists across different sectors, our discussions focused on creating a roadmap through small ripples of change towards sustainability, with the aim of making a big impact. During the event, the guest speakers and experts agreed that we must go beyond mere compliance in tackling this issue.
Plastic’s Global Chokehold
The plastic crisis is not just an environmental issue. In fact, it is a health crisis as well. According to a Forbes Article titled “Amid the Plastic Waste Crisis, A New Scientific Discovery Offers Hope” by David Retter, only 9% of plastic waste has ever been recycled. To put things into perspective, it is estimated that one garbage truck’s-worth of plastic enters the world’s ocean every minute. This constant influx of plastic pollutes our oceans and ecosystems, harming wildlife and destroying entire ecosystems.
Our reliance on plastic has also led to a myriad of health issues. For instance, microplastics—tiny particles of plastic born from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products—are linked to lung inflammation and a higher risk of lung cancer, metabolic disorders, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, weight gain, insulin resistance, and decreased reproductive health, according to a Forbes article by Mary Roeloffs.
Undoing a Legacy of Plastic: Turning Plan into Action
In our recently concluded public forum, which was attended by about 300 online and in-person participants, a key point was that we must take proactive steps in undoing the Philippine’s legacy of plastic. “This is the legacy we have inherited, but not the legacy we must pass on,” said DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning, and International Affairs, Jonas R. Leones, as he outlined current and future government initiatives towards circularity. The national government is working towards zero plastic waste by closing plastic leakage pathways, enabling plastic recycling, and managing plastic demand. Meanwhile, local governments are also moving towards sustainability with initiatives such as ordinances to ban plastics in certain cities.
As for the private sector, they are primarily expected to comply with EPR. Managing Director of Evergreen Labs, Erica Cardoso, a panelist at the event, cited the importance of purpose-driven, impactful initiatives that benefit both the environment and society. She pointed out the importance of collaborating with local government units and adjusting programs to the communities they serve. Keynote Speaker Rina Neoh, Secretary General of the ESG Association of Malaysia, offered practical advice to Filipino companies on how they can play a pivotal role in reducing plastic waste. She encouraged businesses to invest in plastic deposit machines, which have been successfully used in several countries to incentivize recycling. These machines allow consumers to return used plastic bottles and containers in exchange for a small monetary reward, thus promoting recycling at the consumer level.
To face this crisis on the consumer side, both individual and community initiatives must be started to reduce our reliance on plastics. These changes won’t happen overnight; our path towards undoing this legacy all starts with awareness and planning.
The Journey Ahead
Embodying the goals of EPR, rather than focusing on its stipulations and requirements, is the first step towards achieving a sustainable, circular economy. Everyone has a role to play, and small steps can truly create big ripples of change. It is up to each of us to pave the way for these small steps and direct them toward our greater goal.
Towards the conclusion of the forum, both P&A Grant Thornton and the Rotary Club of Makati, together with the different sectors represented by the speakers and panelist, pledged to continue working together in creating awareness of the plastic crisis and getting everyone involved for a holistic approach in combating the crisis and transforming the Philippines from its plastic legacy.
Now more than ever, let’s focus our efforts on bridging the gap between awareness, action, and accountability, and fostering a culture of innovation and responsibility that propels us towards a plastic-free future. This is going beyond compliance!
As published in The Manila Times, dated 17 July 2024
