Organiser
Since the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act or Republic Act 11898 was passed into law in July 2022 with its Implementing Rules and Regulations issued in January 2023, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported that 622 out of around 4,000 – or 16 per cent – obliged enterprises (OEs) in the Philippines have submitted their EPR programmes.
Much more needs to be done to enable OEs and other companies to comply with the law, which, if implemented well, promises positive ecological, societal, and economic outcomes. Beyond being legislation that aims to urgently stem plastic waste pollution in the country, the EPR Act presents an opportunity for social inclusion by transforming the informal waste sector – an important cog moving the country’s progress on the circular economy forward.
In support of ongoing multi-stakeholder engagements towards the effective nationwide implementation of the EPR Act with the DENR and United Nations Development Programme’s LOOPFORWARD national campaign, Nestle´Philippines is once again hosting its banner roundtable discussion, “Rethinking plastics: EPR paving the way towards circularity” in Cebu City on 22 September 2023.
During the high-level event, Nestle´ aims to provide guidance to OEs on how to register to the DENR’s EPR registry, and explore ways businesses can work together with the government to successfully implement the EPR ACT.
The event will also be a platform to present the findings of Nestle´’s synthesis report, which surfaced both challenges and opportunities on the EPR Act implementation from the first RTD in Manila held in May. This RTD gathered information and feedback from over 300 stakeholders representing food manufacturers, co-processing facilities, consumer goods groups, packaging firms, policy leaders, and non-profit actors.
The Cebu leg of the roundtables will also invite stakeholders to attempt to answer the “How” based on the report findings, therefore building actionable steps for the consideration of the public and private sectors. The Cebu event will also provide DENR with the opportunity to conduct a walk-through of the EPR Registry, and for UNDP to set up EPR Registry clinics to help OEs with a written EPR to create and submit their EPR programmes.
Undersecretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Affairs, Nestle Philippines
Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Affairs, Nestle Philippines
Project Manager, GIZ-BIB Office at DENR BMB Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center
Undersecretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Senior Operations Officer and Regional Climate Solutions Lead, IFC
Participants who are senior leadership (VP and up) of FMCG companies and other OEs, public sector representatives, members of the academia and representatives from non-profit organisations will be invited to join three (3) roundtable discussions (RTDs) as follows:
Roundtable discussion #1: Investing in Infrastructure
Investing in infrastructure for solid waste management and recycling is vital for achieving a circular economy in thePhilippines. Adequate facilities such as waste collection centers, recycling plants, and material recovery facilities, need to be established and upgraded. These will enable efficient sorting, processing, and recycling of waste materials, reduce dependence on landfills, and promote the circular flow of resources.
This roundtable aims to identify improvements to waste management infrastructure in the Philippines.
Roundtable discussion #2: Increasing compliance through data and information
Stakeholders in the Philippines recognize the need for accurate and up-to-date data on post-consumer waste to effectively manage and improve recycling processes. By tracking such data, relevant government agencies and enterprises can gain insights into waste generation, disposal patterns, and recycling rates, enabling them to develop EPR programs and comply with the law. An essential aspect of circularity is the need to educate Filipino consumers about its principles and encourage behavioral changes regarding waste handling and recycling.
This roundtable aims to bring innovative ideas together to address data gaps when reporting post-consumer waste and its management. This session also aims to bring forward creative ideas to raise awareness about EPR and encourage behavioral change favoring recycling and recycled packaging, responsible consumption, and proper waste segregation. This also aims to help OEs draft plans to do such activities in the long term and as it pertains to their individual waste impacts.
Roundtable discussion #3: Deepening long-term multi-stakeholder collaboration
Long-term collaboration is key to the effective implementation of the EPR Act and the transition to a circular economy. This collaboration involves government agencies, the private sector, civil society organizations, waste management companies, and consumers. By working together, these stakeholders can pool their resources, knowledge, and expertise to develop comprehensive strategies, establish effective recycling systems, and promote sustainable consumption and waste management practices. Collaboration may also increase EPR compliance.
This roundtable aims to identify ways for the private and public sector to collaborate for the successful implementation of the EPR Act. What are ways for the private sector to lead the pooling of resources in terms of funding, knowledge, and technical expertise on EPR? Must countries have an EPR fund? Should a PRO be a steward of this fund? How can both private and public sectors work to include the informal waste sector into the formal economy?
