Undeniably, plastic pollution is a long-standing economic and environmental issue all over the world. In the Philippines, plastic waste accounts for a significant share of its overall generated waste, with 35% of plastic items consumed being leaked into the open environment and 33% being disposed of in landfills and dumpsites. In an effort to address the growing issue of plastic pollution in the country, the government enacted the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022 which mandates obliged enterprises, or those required to implement EPR programs, to adopt and implement programs and policies for the proper management of plastic packaging wastes.

In this context, the ECCP, in partnership with its Environment and Water Committee, is organizing an information session on the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022. This session aims to achieve the following:

• provide an overview of the current situation of plastic waste in the country;
• ensure clear understanding of the implementing rules and regulations of the EPR law;
• equip the private sector how to establish a mechanism for the recovery of their plastic packaging; and
• provide a platform for the private sector to address their concerns on the technical specificities of the EPR law.

Moreover, the workshop will cover the following items:

• Situationer on Philippine Plastic Waste
• Overview and discussion of the EPR law
• Compliance with the EPR Law
• Workshop - evaluating the position of the company in implementing the EPR law and provision of guidance in writing the EPR Law Compliance plan