Environmental Issue
“The Philippines is no longer the third largest contributor of marine plastics in the world. It is in the fifth spot - after Indonesia, India, the US, Thailand and Brazil.”* Among global rankings, this remains a shameful one. Plastic pollution persists as an environmental issue in our country due to the lack of better plastic management. “The country’s so-called “sachet economy” has also contributed to the proliferation of plastics.”** Hence, the environmental issue becomes a political issue as well when policies or lack thereof fail to address and worse keep the status quo of plastic usage and production without concern to its impact in the world we live in.
There are actions taken to address the issue like banning single-use plastics. However, there is a lack of political will to reinforce such policy on a bigger scale. Introducing sustainable packaging like eco-bags can only do much when there is still plastic production from industrial companies. The effects cannot be overstated as it harms our health and environment; marine plastics kill living organisms just because we failed to contain land plastic waste from getting into the open seas.
We have the role as individuals and collective to help. As Greenpeace Philippines advocates, “Alternatives to single-use plastics already exist and the proposed ban should prompt the government to support and promote the development of packaging and delivery systems that don't rely on disposables…Currently, Filipino taxpayers shoulder the cleanup, health and environmental costs of plastics. Rather than giving companies more excuses to pass the costs and responsibility to people, the ban should be used to mandate these companies to implement refill and reuse systems for their products.”*** The burden should not only be put on the individual. As a start, it shall take a whole community with strong local ordinances. Ideally, policy change shall begin in our legislature for a top-down approach from plastic producers to plastic users.
For now, another helpful resource is education. Our household practices shall be improved to reduce domestic wastes. Proper waste segregation shall be implemented and sustained. These are small best practices but unfortunately, these couldn’t be enough when our customs still rely on disposable plastics. That must be changed into a better material culture. I personally try to reduce my plastic waste by bringing my own grocery bag when I shop. I just hope that institutions make it possible for us to have a sustainable packaging when we buy their products. “A large majority of Filipinos are in favor of banning the use of single-use plastics—often referred to as disposable plastics—across the country, a new Social Weather Stations survey suggests.”**** I believe we already know what to do; we’re just waiting for the changes to be institutionalized, only then the collective motivation would escape us when we are not yet directly affected by the effects of plastic pollution. I hope it would not be too late.
* The extent of plastics pollution in PH | The Manila Times
https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/06/15/opinion/the-extent-of-plastics-pollution-in-ph/1803201
** Plastic Problems, Pollution in the Philippines — Gaia Discovery
https://www.gaiadiscovery.com/planet/plastic-problems-pollution-philippines
*** Philippine ban on single-use plastics doable, needed — Greenpeace | Philstar.com
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/02/19/1994489/philippine-ban-single-use-plastics-doable-needed-greenpeace#:~:text=A%20Social%20Weather%20Stations%20survey%20conducted%20in%20September,favor%20of%20a%20national%20ban%20on%20single-use%20plastics.
**** 7 in 10 Filipinos want ban on single-use plastics, survey says | Philstar.com
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/01/21/1986621/7-10-filipinos-want-ban-single-use-plastics-survey-says
There are actions taken to address the issue like banning single-use plastics. However, there is a lack of political will to reinforce such policy on a bigger scale. Introducing sustainable packaging like eco-bags can only do much when there is still plastic production from industrial companies. The effects cannot be overstated as it harms our health and environment; marine plastics kill living organisms just because we failed to contain land plastic waste from getting into the open seas.
Alternatives to single-use plastics already exist and the proposed ban should prompt the government to support and promote the development of packaging and delivery systems that don't rely on disposables…Currently, Filipino taxpayers shoulder the cleanup, health and environmental costs of plastics. Rather than giving companies more excuses to pass the costs and responsibility to people, the ban should be used to mandate these companies to implement refill and reuse systems for their products.
We have the role as individuals and collective to help. As Greenpeace Philippines advocates, “Alternatives to single-use plastics already exist and the proposed ban should prompt the government to support and promote the development of packaging and delivery systems that don't rely on disposables…Currently, Filipino taxpayers shoulder the cleanup, health and environmental costs of plastics. Rather than giving companies more excuses to pass the costs and responsibility to people, the ban should be used to mandate these companies to implement refill and reuse systems for their products.”*** The burden should not only be put on the individual. As a start, it shall take a whole community with strong local ordinances. Ideally, policy change shall begin in our legislature for a top-down approach from plastic producers to plastic users.
For now, another helpful resource is education. Our household practices shall be improved to reduce domestic wastes. Proper waste segregation shall be implemented and sustained. These are small best practices but unfortunately, these couldn’t be enough when our customs still rely on disposable plastics. That must be changed into a better material culture. I personally try to reduce my plastic waste by bringing my own grocery bag when I shop. I just hope that institutions make it possible for us to have a sustainable packaging when we buy their products. “A large majority of Filipinos are in favor of banning the use of single-use plastics—often referred to as disposable plastics—across the country, a new Social Weather Stations survey suggests.”**** I believe we already know what to do; we’re just waiting for the changes to be institutionalized, only then the collective motivation would escape us when we are not yet directly affected by the effects of plastic pollution. I hope it would not be too late.
08 December 2021
National Service Training Program
MODULE: Environmental Protection
* The extent of plastics pollution in PH | The Manila Times
https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/06/15/opinion/the-extent-of-plastics-pollution-in-ph/1803201
** Plastic Problems, Pollution in the Philippines — Gaia Discovery
https://www.gaiadiscovery.com/planet/plastic-problems-pollution-philippines
*** Philippine ban on single-use plastics doable, needed — Greenpeace | Philstar.com
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/02/19/1994489/philippine-ban-single-use-plastics-doable-needed-greenpeace#:~:text=A%20Social%20Weather%20Stations%20survey%20conducted%20in%20September,favor%20of%20a%20national%20ban%20on%20single-use%20plastics.
**** 7 in 10 Filipinos want ban on single-use plastics, survey says | Philstar.com
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/01/21/1986621/7-10-filipinos-want-ban-single-use-plastics-survey-says
Comments
Post a Comment