Addressing Poverty – A Key to Social Sustainability
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How EPR can support the informal waste sector in the Philippines
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The Philippines is dealing with a serious plastic waste problem—about 2.7 million metric tons of plastic are thrown away each year, and a lot of it ends up in our oceans.1 To help solve this, the government passed the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022. This law requires big companies to take responsibility for the plastic they use, from the time it’s produced to when it’s thrown away. That includes making sure it gets collected, recycled, or properly disposed of—a big step forward for EPR implementation in the Philippines.
One of the most important parts of this law is bringing informal waste pickers into the picture. These workers have been doing essential work for years, but often without support or recognition. With EPR, there’s a real chance to include them in formal waste management systems—offering more stable work, better income, and safer working conditions.
In this article, we’ll look at how the EPR law benefits the informal waste sector—helping create a fairer system while also supporting a more sustainable, circular economy.
Understanding the EPR Law in the Philippines
The EPR Act of 2022, officially known as Republic Act No. 11898, institutionalizes the responsibility of producers for the environmental impact of their products throughout their lifecycle, particularly focusing on post-consumer plastic waste. Under this law, companies with assets exceeding PHP 1 billion are required to establish and implement EPR programs aimed at the efficient recovery, treatment, recycling, or disposal of their plastic packaging.The law sets progressive targets for plastic waste recovery, starting with 20% in 2023 and escalating to 80% by 2028. This framework aims to reduce plastic pollution, shift toward sustainable practices, and embrace EPR compliance.2
Why the Informal Waste Sector Matters
In the Philippines, a lot of the work that keeps plastic waste out of our landfills and ocean comes from people in the informal waste sector. These include waste pickers, informal waste collectors, and recyclers who sort through trash every day, helping to clean up communities and reduce pollution. They do incredibly important work, but they often go unrecognized. Most don’t have legal protections, stable income, or access to healthcare and social benefits, which puts them in a tough spot—financially and physically. That’s where the social impact of EPR becomes clear.3
How the EPR Law Can Help
The EPR law in the Philippines—which makes companies responsible for the plastic they produce—creates a major opportunity to support and uplift these waste workers. Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga has stressed that we can’t succeed with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) without including waste pickers as essential partners. Here are some ways we can do that.
Strategies to Bring the Informal Sector Into the EPR System
1. Recognize Their Role
We need to treat waste pickers as official contributors to the country’s waste management system. Legal recognition means they can get ID cards, be part of formal programs, and receive benefits like health insurance and better job security.
2. Offer Training and Support
By training waste collectors on things like safe handling, sorting plastics, and understanding EPR compliance, we can improve plastic recovery rates and increase their earning potential.
3. Ensure Fair Pay and Incentives
Setting fair prices for collected recyclables and ensuring they’re paid on time can go a long way. Financial incentives don’t just help waste pickers make a living, they can also lead to better plastic waste solutions.
4. Help Form Cooperatives
When waste pickers work together in cooperatives, they gain power as a group. Cooperatives can negotiate better deals, apply for funding, and even partner directly with producers and government agencies under EPR programs.
5. Keep Workers Safe
Simple things like gloves, masks, and proper sorting tools can reduce health risks. Plus, linking waste pickers to clinics or healthcare programs can make their work safer in the long run.
What’s In It for Everyone?
A Cleaner Environment
Bringing informal waste collectors into the EPR system means more plastic gets collected and recycled properly. That helps keep our streets clean and stops plastic from polluting the environment.
Better Livelihoods
With proper recognition, training, and pay, waste pickers can move from surviving to thriving. They can earn more steadily, access basic services, and build a more secure future.
Social Inclusion and Equity
This social impact of EPR is clear when it recognizes workers doing the hard work of managing our waste. Including them in the system sends a clear message: everyone deserves a fair chance and a safe workplace.
Challenges and Considerations
While there’s real potential here, there are also some hurdles to clear:
- Some are hesitant to formalize: Not all waste pickers are ready to formalize. They may fear stricter rules or losing flexibility. Building trust and showing clear benefits is key.
- Funding must last: Financial support for informal workers needs to be consistent and not tied to volatile market prices.
- Infrastructure is lacking: For this to work, we need better coordination across various stakeholders to improve collection systems, transport, and recycling facilities in more areas.
- Strong enforcement: The EPR law needs to be properly enforced. That takes commitment from all sides—government, companies, and community groups.
Real-World Examples
Plastic Bank’s Model
Plastic Bank is already showing how this can work. In the Philippines, we have set up collection branches where registered collection members can trade plastic for cash and social benefits. We use blockchain technology to track collection and ensure transparency. This model supports both the environment and people’s livelihoods.4
Local Government Initiatives
In some cities, local governments are stepping up by registering waste pickers, offering training, and partnering with cooperatives. These partnerships help improve recycling rates and give workers safer and more stable working conditions.5
Turning EPR Into a Win-Win
The EPR law in the Philippines isn’t just about managing plastic waste – it’s a real chance to build a system that’s fair, inclusive, and sustainable. If we bring informal waste collectors into the picture, we create a model that protects the environment and improves lives at the same time.
Government agencies, producers, local officials, and organizations like Plastic Bank all have a role to play. Together, we can build a circular economy in the Philippines where nothing goes to waste, and no one is left behind.
- Jel Santos, “DENR pushes for circular economy to fight plastic pollution crisis in PH,” Manila Bulletin, January 23, 2025, https://mb.com.ph/2025/1/23/denr-pushes-for-circular-economy-to-fight-plastic-pollution-crisis-in-ph
- “Republic Act no. 11898,” Senate of the Philippines https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/republic_acts/ra%2011898.pdf
- Jane Bautista,“DENR wants better lives for scavengers,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, August 2, 2023, https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1810721/denr-wants-better-lives-for-scavengers
- Estee Lutte Engao,”How Plastic Bank exceeds plastic waste recovery standards,” Plastic Bank, August 7, 2024, https://plasticbank.com/blog/how-plastic-bank-exceeds-plastic-waste-recovery-standards/
- “Implementing EPR: How can our LGUs take part?”, World Wildlife Fund, October 14, 2024, https://www.wwf.org.ph/?779001%2Fimplementing-EPR-how-can-our-lgus-take-part
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