MANILA, Philippines — At least 50 employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have undergone rigorous training as part of the DENR’s preparation for the full implementation of Republic Act (RA) 11898 or the Expanded Producers Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022.
Environment Assistant Secretary for field operations and Environmental Management Bureau concurrent director Gilbert Gonzales said the training was necessary to equip DENR personnel with the knowledge and skills to communicate a standardized messaging on the EPR law to various stakeholders for its proper implementation.
The three-day training was conducted in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
The EPR law requires large companies to adopt and implement policies for the proper management of plastic packaging wastes.
Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga signed the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 11898 last January after it lapsed into law on July 23 last year.
Gonzales said those who completed the training would be in the frontline of information on the EPR law across the regions and would serve as resource speakers on upcoming training sessions for stakeholders from the private sector, local government units and waste diversion organizations.
“We are very glad that finally, we are able to start somehow the important activities that we need to undertake under the EPR implementation, one of which is this preparation and training of our future messengers of information related to the EPR,” Gonzales said.
The EPR law is seen to significantly aid in the long-standing problem of solid waste management in the country.
The EPR law and circular economy are mainly associated with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12, which pertains to responsible consumption and production, as it primarily aims to achieve sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources, according to UNDP program analyst Gwyneth Anne Palmos.
“The EPR and circular economy, when implemented in an integrated, holistic and just manner, can help drive the achievement of all SDGs,” Palmos said.
As an environmental policy approach and program, the EPR law establishes a mechanism that places upon producers the responsibility for the entire life cycle of plastic waste, especially its post-consumer or end-of-life stage.
The EPR practice focuses on the segregation of waste at source and collection; waste reduction, recovery and recycling; development of environment-friendly products; and application of internationally accepted principles on sustainable consumption and production.