The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reiterated its calls for large-scale entrepreneurs and companies to comply with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act.
The law mandates large enterprises that generate plastic packaging to establish a comprehensive program that manages its waste throughout its lifecycle. The law emphasizes waste reduction, recovery and diversion, the use of methods like reduction of non-environmentally friendly packaging and prevention of plastic waste from leaking into the environment.
Jonas Leones, DENR undersecretary for policy, planning and international affairs, said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public forum, the program is experiencing “birth pains.”
Leones warned the penalty for violating the EPR includes fines of at least P5 million for the first offense, P10 to P15 million for the second offense and a fine equivalent to the cost of production of goods, if proven to be repeat violators.
“Money is not really the problem since they can pay. What is difficult here is the sanctions that may be slapped by the government. They can be issued with cease-and-desist orders since this is a regulation that they need to follow,” Leones said further.
The law specifically obliges companies with total assets exceeding P100 million to have their EPR programs registered.
Earlier this month, the DENR assured large-scale entrepreneurs and companies of maximum assistance.
While registration is not mandatory for micro, small and medium enterprises, these companies are encouraged to register their EPR programs with the DENR.
Enterprises may also apply for incentives after undergoing the approval process outlined in the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.
The EPR also requires obliged enterprises to demonstrate the recovery and diversion of 20 percent of their 2022 plastic packaging footprint. The target progressively increases each year, with the goal of recovering at least 80 percent of the plastic waste generated by 2028.
According to latest data from the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau, there have been 745 EPR registrations, totaling approximately 535 million kilograms of plastic footprint registered, with a diversion target of around 107 million kilograms by year-end.
Citing data from the Department of Trade and Industry, the DENR said an estimated 4,000 large enterprises in the Philippines are required to register their EPR programs.
