WITH only about 600 out of 4,000 big enterprises obliged to practice the Extended Producer Responsibility Act, a senior lawmaker wants the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to take more decisive steps in implementing fully a new law on the proper disposal of single-use plastics.
Villafuerte was one of the principal authors of Republic Act 11898, which institutionalized the practice of EPR in waste management that imposes on producers, in coordination with their distributors and retailers, the responsibility of properly and effectively disposing of their products after these have been sold to and used by consumers.
Villafuerte reacted to DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga’s recent revelation that only about 600 or 15 percent of 4,000 enterprises obliged to practice EPR have thus far registered, in compliance with RA 11898. This measure, which lapsed into law on July 23, 2022, amended RA 9003 or the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act” of 2000 by requiring enterprises to register and be responsible for the correct disposal of their products’ plastic packaging after their products have been sold to and used by consumers.
With the IRR’s release almost six months ago, Villafuerte asked the Secretary whether a new Commission under the supervision of Malacañan Palace—as mandated under RA 11898—has started its work already on overseeing the shift to a circular economy as part of the government’s climate-mitigation action.