Philippines environmental group raises concerns over plastic pollution at INC3

Civil society groups have addressed the urgent need to combat plastic pollution at the ongoing third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution. One such organistion, BAN Toxics, expressed concerns over plastic pollution crisis Philippines is grappling with. 

“The Philippines is at a critical juncture in the battle against plastic pollution. Our country’s unique biodiversity, alongside the health, welfare and sources of livelihood of our people, deserve protection, and we must act decisively,” said Jam Lorenzo from BAN Toxics’ Policy Development and Research Unit, at the seven-day event that began at the United Nations Environment Programme headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya on November 13, 2023. 

The Philippines is said to have the largest share of plastic waste dumped in the ocean in 2019. Around 36.38 per cent of global oceanic plastic waste came from the country in year 2019 and this scale is considerably more in comparison to India, the second-largest plastic polluter, having accounted for about 12.92 per cent of the total the same year, according to Earth.org in June, 2023. 

A World Bank report from March 2021 talked about Philippines’ high dependence on single-use plastics that include multilayer sachets and pouches. As per it, the situation in the country has continued to worsen the alarming levels of marine plastic pollution there. By some estimates, the report stated, Philippines consumes a staggering 163 million pieces of sachets on daily basis.

The group expressed deep concern over the environmental challenges and impact on human health caused by single-use plastics, according to a press statement received by Down To Earth.

As plastic largely does not completely vanish and instead degrades into increasingly smaller pieces, the persistence of plastic is an issue of deep concern, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.

These microplastics, the UN body stressed, can enter human body through inhalation and absorption. “They also get accumulated in vital organs like the lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys.”

BAN Toxics advocated for a comprehensive global plastic treaty and, in the process, raised to prioritise the reduction of plastic use and production by establishing realistic and science-informed schedules for freezing and phasing down plastic production.

It also pitched to ensure alignment with sustainable planetary boundaries and the safeguarding of human health and environment.

The organisation, which has also previously presented its positions at technical INC-organised webinars, encouraged sustainable shifts in industry perspectives and practices by eliminating incentives and subsidies for plastic producers, manufacturers and distributors. It is also all for imposing appropriate fees and restrictions on industries.

It also laid emphasis on the identification of sustainable alternatives to plastics to protect human health and the environment, particularly by addressing plastics or chemicals in plastics. The latter are known carcinogens, endocrine disruptors and substances that persist, bioaccumulate and are toxic in the environment.

Gaps & challenges for the Philippines

Going down in history, in the document, BAN Toxic stated these facts. “Republic Act 9003, enacted in 2000, is the primary policy addressing solid waste by emphasising avoidance, reduction and responsible treatment. It mandates the National Solid Waste Management Commission to prepare and publicise a list of Non-Environmentally Acceptable Products and Packaging that could have helped regulate plastic waste,” it recalled. And added that “even after 20 years, the guidelines are yet to be made public”.

The group also highlighted the fact that the Philippines enacted the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law in 2022, raising concerns among green groups.

“Since last August, BAN Toxics has been urging the government to adopt comprehensive approaches to address plastic waste. The group stresses the need to avoid incentivising environmentally harmful waste disposal methods under the current EPR model and emphasises the importance of covering the entire lifecycle of plastics,” it shared.

“Further, reducing plastic use is the most effective strategy, and the implementation of EPR should focus on sustainable production, consumption and zero waste, with a priority on upstream solutions.” 

Despite these aforementioned mechanisms, Lorenzo stated, there is a shared recognition that further strides are needed in terms of effective implementation, greater policy action and stakeholder involvement to achieve results. 

“The situation makes it more crucial than ever to push for a comprehensive national single-use plastic ban to curb plastic waste. There have also been several bills filed in both the lower and upper houses to cut down on plastic waste,” he added.

BAN Toxics is an independent non-government environmental organisation that works for causes like advancement of environmental justice, health and sustainable development in the area of chemicals and wastes, with focus on women, children and others. It is also a member of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), a network of grassroot groups representing over 1,000 organisations from 92 countries working towards a Zero Waste world.