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The amount of single-use plastics produced in various localities alone has made waste management at the LGU level nearly impossible.  A huge percentage of these single-use plastics are from branded goods (Cabico, 2019). Therefore, with the authority of the national government, major corporations must be pressured and made liable to make their packaging more sustainable. This is what is known as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) (GAIA, 2020).

Source: https://www.no-burn.org/sachets-fuel-plastic-waste-crisis-in-the-philippines/

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MANILA, Philippines - Almost 164 million pieces of plastic sachets are thrown by Filipinos daily, a study on the country's plastic pollution problem by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives revealed.

Annually, around 59.8 billion of pieces of sachets are used in the Philippines.

The study, which was released Thursday, also showed that an average Filipino uses 591 pieces of sachets, 174 shopping bags and 163 plastic labo bags yearly.

The use of shopping bags throughout the Philippines is at almost 57 million per day (around 20.6 billion pieces annually), while the use of plastic labo bags (smaller, thinner and often transparent plastic bags) is at 45.2 million per day (16.5 billion pieces annually).

Filipinos discard around three million diapers daily or 1.1 billion diapers per year, the report also showed.

"These figures show that the sheer volume of residual waste generated daily is beyond the capacity of barangays, cities and municipalities to manage: the problem is the huge amount of single-use plastics being produced, not the way the waste in managed," GAIA's report read.

The study also found out that organic waste comprised more than 60 percent of household waste in the country.

GAIA said that this confirmed that organic waste management is an "important" strategy that would create "substantial" waste reduction for local governments.

The data in the report was gathered through the waste assessment and brand audit tool developed by non-governmental organization Mother Earth Foundation.

The report compiled data from 21 waste assessments conducted in six cities and seven municipalities across the country. These sites are the project areas of MEF under its Zero Waste Cities project implemented by GAIA.

Call to government, corporations

The aims of the report include emphasizing the role of corporations in the global proliferation of plastic waste and reinforcing the need for these companies to accept liability for the impact of their product and the packaging in which their products are sold.

It found out that more than half of all unrecyclable residual waste discarded in the country is branded waste-with 10 companies responsible for 60 percent of all branded waste in the study sites.

"With the absence of policies mandating liability and accountability of the production of this problematic waste stream, cities and municipalities are left to deal with this problem using taxpayers' money," GAIA's report said.

It added: "This highlights the urgent need for interventions that involve manufacturers in taking responsibility for their plastic waste, primarily by drastically reducing production of throwaway plastic packaging."

The report also called on the government to institute a comprehensive national plastic bag ban that promotes reusable bags, regulate other single-use plastic products, mandate companies to redesign packaging, strengthen ban against waste incineration and order diaper companies to present viable alternatives to disposable diapers.

"Plastic is not a litter problem, it is a pollution problem, and it starts as soon as the plastic is made. Faced with no choice but plastic packaging, people are forced to be complicit in the plastic pollution crisis," it said.

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Filipinos throw away almost 164-M sachets daily - report

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MANILA, Philippines - Almost 164 million pieces of plastic sachets are thrown by Filipinos daily, a study on the country's plastic pollution problem by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives revealed. Annually, around 59.8 billion of pieces of sachets are used in the Philippines.

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What is causing the challenge to persist? 

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What is causing the challenge to persist? 

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Many factors are to be considered as to why the issue on plastic waste is still a prominent issue in the Philippines. One of the main factors that contribute to this is the issue on poverty in the country. A large population of Filipinos rely on the purchase of sachets due to its cheap price and convenience. Sachets are also more desirable for poor Filipinos since most of them receive their wage on a day-to-day basis making the purchase of larger quantities of goods unrealistic. Another factor to be considered is the lack of implemented policies by the government to control large corporations. Consumers, especially poor ones often have no choice to buy plastic sachets as this is the only option offered to them. This is because there is a lack of regulation towards major producers in the Philippines to reduce their plastic use.

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Plastic Materials and Environmental Externalities: Structural Causes and Corrective Policy

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Several negative externalities arising from the consumption and disposal of plastics materials are described. Such externalities include the aesthetic damage created by landfills containing plastic waste, the impact to marine life of plastic residuals, the hazardous emissions of plastic incineration, and the economic inefficiencies created by the difficulty of plastic reutilization from recycling.

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Metro Manila is responsible for 25% of the country's total waste generation. The high population density in the city has also directly caused high concentrations of production and consumption of plastic packaged goods. With a growing urbanized population, solid waste management issues remain a big problem in the country (Magalang, 2013). With this in mind, better urban planning along with making opportunities available outside Metro Manila can make solid waste management more feasible for LGUs.

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Albert Altarejos Magalang

Part of the Environmental Science and Engineering book series (ESE)

Keywords

Solid Waste Waste Management Municipal Solid Waste Management Quezon City Waste Generation Rate

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

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Municipal Solid Waste Management in the Philippines

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Albert Altarejos Magalang Part of the Environmental Science and Engineering book series (ESE) Solid Waste Waste Management Municipal Solid Waste Management Quezon City Waste Generation Rate These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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Plastic is a non-biodegradable product which means that it will take more than a thousand years to break down; adding to the already existing landfills. This wastes are often generated from households. This is then poorly, managed or recycled (Adamu, 2020)

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The following groups could help up gain better understanding on out choses topic.

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The following groups could help up gain better understanding on out choses topic.

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An example of a sari-sari store in the Philippines filled with products sold in sachets

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Given that a great number of Filipinos suffer from issues on Poverty, they mainly rely on sachets that are often sold at low prices. The problem that arises from this is how it can affect the Philippines in the long-run especially in terms of the environment.

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The key thing is that, for the "daily wage earner," they could only buy necessities that could help them get through the day. This is where sachets come in. While the threat of sachets to the environment is undeniable, other alternatives such as glass jars and paper are either too expensive or simply not fit for the type of good being packaged.

Source: https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/opinion-why-banning-sachets-anti-poor-non-inclusive

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Before sachets became prevalent in the Philippines, this market was already transacting in single-serve retail quantities. The pocket dictates - you buy according to your means. A daily wage earner could not afford a full pack, so the sari-sari store owner would dispense small portions of products into plastic sachets. Until the brands took over. Sachets are right-sized products at affordable prices. Small portions of milk, coffee, and shampoo provide equitable access to nutrition and well-being.

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[OPINION] Why banning sachets is anti-poor and non-inclusive

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Before sachets became prevalent in the Philippines, this market was already transacting in single-serve retail quantities. The pocket dictates - you buy according to your means. A daily wage earner could not afford a full pack, so the sari-sari store owner would dispense small portions of products into plastic sachets.

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Quezon City, Philippines (July 14, 2020) -New findings and recommendations for companies and policymakers to address the onslaught of plastic sachet waste were revealed in a new report, SACHET ECONOMY: Big Problems in Small Packets released today by environmental organization Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and the global movement Break Free From Plastic.

The report commissioned by GAIA uses data from University of Santo Tomas' Research Center for Social Sciences and Education (RCSSEd) for their research on Filipinos' sachet consumption habits. According to the report, single-use plastics, specifically sachets, are a growing concern in the Philippines because of the affordability and convenience they give to users. What is also striking is that while certain local governments have gone beyond the usual plastic bag bans by passing ordinances, the exclusion of sachets from local laws is alarming.

"Sachets are perceived as inexpensive, and convenient because of their small and durable packaging, but in reality, they are expensive for cities to manage, difficult to effectively recycle, and cannot be reused, " quipped Miko Aliño, GAIA Asia Pacific program manager.

The findings in the report further show how corporations have managed to evade responsibility for sachet waste, which leaves local governments and communities struggling with this non-recyclable waste to address the imminent sachet pollution crisis.

"Corporations have greatly benefited from these products by marketing them for their low cost and convenience but they are not made accountable for the pollution that comes along with its production and disposal," he said.

Moreover, the report says that sachet purchase and use tend to be higher among lower socioeconomic brackets. This is because multinational companies advertised them as affordable for daily-wage earners for them to be able to purchase branded quality products in small quantities. It is based on the premise that sachets help consumers ration their use of a product better than big containers, thereby reducing product wasting.

"Sachets may have brought better quality products to poor communities but the problem is that they have become a waste nightmare. When sachets are discarded indiscriminately, these clog drains and contribute to flooding or even pollute our oceans. With this data, we can really see that companies are really the ones to be blamed. We can also use this report's findings to pursue regulations that would compel companies to acknowledge their liability for plastic pollution" he added .

With the lack of an integrated national policy on sachet use, the report cited efforts of local government units and the need to step up to address a large part of the country's plastic waste problem including production of throwaway plastic packaging and the actions that companies must do to reverse plastic-related problems and pollution.

"There is this crucial necessity to craft regulations that would include sachets in the big picture, and to demand accountability from the companies that manufacture them. The government and members of our communities need to clamor for extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies for corporations to become fully responsible for their products," said Beau Baconguis, Asia Pacific coordinator of #breakfreefromplastic.

"EPR is just one solution which is a policy principle that extends the responsibility of product manufacturers to the entire life cycle of a product. Even after these have been sold, EPR shifts back the obligation for the life cycle impacts of products to the manufacturers, including the managing of their waste," she added.

The report also presents the attitude of Filipinos towards plastics such as how our culture is continuously redefined and assimilated in the tactics of big businesses in perpetuating decades of plastic pollution. Furthermore, the report discusses public attitudes towards plastic pollution and lays out several recommendations and initiatives from the environmental organizations, private sector, and social enterprises towards efforts to address the situation.

" Filipinos had done very well without sachets in the past. We bought cooking oil and condiments in small portions or in our community sari-sari stores with our own reusable containers and mugs. Wet goods such as fish and meat were usually wrapped in used paper or banana leaves," said Rei Panaligan, National Coordinator of Break Free From Plastic Philippines.

"With this, we want to encourage again our businesses and retailers to adopt alternative delivery systems by putting refilling stations and encouraging customers to bring their own reusable bags and containers. Moreover, this should be part of a better normal way forward in a post-COVID scenario wherein alternative delivery systems and refill stations are part of the plan. As shown by the latest statements of scientists worldwide, reusable is still safe to be used during this pandemic, " he added.

For more info, the report can be downloaded at: http://www.no-burn.org/Sachet-Economy

Statement of 120 experts and scientists assuring the safety of reusables during this pandemic: https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/2020/06/23/reusables-can-be-used-safely-over-115-health-experts-fire-back-at-the-plastic-industry/

Sonia Astudillo, GAIA Asia Pacific Communications Officer, +63 9175969286

Jed Alegado, BFFP Asia Pacific Senior Communications Officer, +63 917 6070248

Geri Matthew Carretero, BFFP Philippines Communications Officer, +63 917 6216901

About GAIA - Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives is a worldwide alliance of more than 800 grassroots groups, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in over 90 countries whose ultimate vision is a just, toxic-free world without incineration. www.no-burn.org

About BFFP - #breakfreefromplastic Movement is a global movement envisioning a future free from plastic pollution. Since its launch in 2016, more than 8,000 organizations and individual supporters from across the world have joined the movement to demand massive reductions in single-use plastics and to push for lasting solutions to the plastic pollution crisis.These organizations share the common values of environmental protection and social justice, which guide their work at the community level and represent a global, unified vision. www.breakfreefromplastic.org

About BFFP Philippines Project- The #breakfreefromplastic Philippines project is a collaboration of #breakfreefromplastic members EcoWaste Coalition, GAIA Asia Pacific, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia and Mother Earth Foundation working towards a future free from plastic pollution.

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Sachets fuel plastic waste crisis in the Philippines

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Quezon City, Philippines (July 14, 2020) -New findings and recommendations for companies and policymakers to address the onslaught of plastic sachet waste were revealed in a new report, SACHET ECONOMY: Big Problems in Small Packets released today by environmental organization Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and the global movement Break Free From Plastic.

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Current state and future prospects of plastic waste as source of fuel: A review

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Due to the depleting fossil fuel sources such as crude oil, natural gas, and coal, the present rate of economic growth is unsustainable. Therefore, ma…

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Data on Sachet and Plastic Use in the Philippines

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Data on Sachet and Plastic Use in the Philippines

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On average, one Filipino uses 591 pieces of sachets, 174 shopping bags, and 163 plastic labo bags annually. In totality, almost 164 million sachet packets are being thrown out by Filipinos daily. Annually, this amounts to 59.8 billion sachet packets. In addition to this, 1.1 billion diapers are disposed yearly. Even more alarming, only 10 companies are responsible for the majority of the plastic waste generated. With the increase in poverty caused by the pandemic, the reliance of consumers on sachet products have increased as well.

Source: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/03/08/1899775/filipinos-throw-away-almost-164-m-sachets-daily-report

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MANILA, Philippines - Almost 164 million pieces of plastic sachets are thrown by Filipinos daily, a study on the country's plastic pollution problem by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives revealed.

Annually, around 59.8 billion of pieces of sachets are used in the Philippines.

The study, which was released Thursday, also showed that an average Filipino uses 591 pieces of sachets, 174 shopping bags and 163 plastic labo bags yearly.

The use of shopping bags throughout the Philippines is at almost 57 million per day (around 20.6 billion pieces annually), while the use of plastic labo bags (smaller, thinner and often transparent plastic bags) is at 45.2 million per day (16.5 billion pieces annually).

Filipinos discard around three million diapers daily or 1.1 billion diapers per year, the report also showed.

"These figures show that the sheer volume of residual waste generated daily is beyond the capacity of barangays, cities and municipalities to manage: the problem is the huge amount of single-use plastics being produced, not the way the waste in managed," GAIA's report read.

The study also found out that organic waste comprised more than 60 percent of household waste in the country.

GAIA said that this confirmed that organic waste management is an "important" strategy that would create "substantial" waste reduction for local governments.

The data in the report was gathered through the waste assessment and brand audit tool developed by non-governmental organization Mother Earth Foundation.

The report compiled data from 21 waste assessments conducted in six cities and seven municipalities across the country. These sites are the project areas of MEF under its Zero Waste Cities project implemented by GAIA.

Call to government, corporations

The aims of the report include emphasizing the role of corporations in the global proliferation of plastic waste and reinforcing the need for these companies to accept liability for the impact of their product and the packaging in which their products are sold.

It found out that more than half of all unrecyclable residual waste discarded in the country is branded waste-with 10 companies responsible for 60 percent of all branded waste in the study sites.

"With the absence of policies mandating liability and accountability of the production of this problematic waste stream, cities and municipalities are left to deal with this problem using taxpayers' money," GAIA's report said.

It added: "This highlights the urgent need for interventions that involve manufacturers in taking responsibility for their plastic waste, primarily by drastically reducing production of throwaway plastic packaging."

The report also called on the government to institute a comprehensive national plastic bag ban that promotes reusable bags, regulate other single-use plastic products, mandate companies to redesign packaging, strengthen ban against waste incineration and order diaper companies to present viable alternatives to disposable diapers.

"Plastic is not a litter problem, it is a pollution problem, and it starts as soon as the plastic is made. Faced with no choice but plastic packaging, people are forced to be complicit in the plastic pollution crisis," it said.

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Filipinos throw away almost 164-M sachets daily - report

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MANILA, Philippines - Almost 164 million pieces of plastic sachets are thrown by Filipinos daily, a study on the country's plastic pollution problem by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives revealed. Annually, around 59.8 billion of pieces of sachets are used in the Philippines.

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Hindrances to Solid Waste Management: Budget and Capacity

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Hindrances to Solid Waste Management: Budget and Capacity

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Developing countries such as the Bangaladesh (and the Philippines) lack facilities, infrastructure development, and budget for waste management which is one of the primary reasons for bad plastic waste management. Apart from this, there are no technical and improved methods that were being utilized in plastic management (Mourshed et al., 2017). Therefore, despite having acknowledged the importance of solid waste management, LGUs are having difficulties with implementation. Programs to limit the use/consumption of plastics must be implemented together with the solid waste management program to allow LGUs to better manage solid wastes.

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Environmental Science and Pollution Research

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Towards the effective plastic waste management in Bangladesh: a review - Environmental Science and Pollution Research

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The plastic-derived product, nowadays, becomes an indispensable commodity for different purposes. A huge amount of used plastic causes environmental hazards that turn in danger for marine life, reduces the fertility of soil, and contamination of ground water. Management of this enormous plastic wast…

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The first step into the use of plastics came in 1869 which was invented as a response to the growing concern that human consumption was being limited by the supply of natural resources. The best part about this invention is that it is "inexpensive, safe, and sanitary substance that could be shaped by humans to their every whim." The boom in plastic production came during WWII where its production increased by 300% in the US alone. While it seemed to have provided a solution to humans' insatiable wants and needs, in the 1960s, people began seeing the negative effect of our reliance on plastics such as pollution. Two decades later, governments began encouraging people to recycle but this was not enough. In fact, "the ultimate symbol of the problem of plastic waste is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch." Aside from the environmental concerns, health concerns were also starting to come up. Chemicals from plastics were said to contaminate our food and water. Still, with the way humans have progressed, plastic remains to be valuable and necessary. Therefore, to address this, humans must innovate better methods for recycling and invent biodegradable plastics.

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What Are Plastics and Where Do They Come From?
Plastic is a word that originally meant "pliable and easily shaped." It only recently became a name for a category of materials called polymers. The word polymer means "of many parts," and polymers are made of long chains of molecules. Polymers abound in nature. Cellulose, the material that makes up the cell walls of plants, is a very common natural polymer.

Over the last century and a half humans have learned how to make synthetic polymers, sometimes using natural substances like cellulose, but more often using the plentiful carbon atoms provided by petroleum and other fossil fuels. Synthetic polymers are made up of long chains of atoms, arranged in repeating units, often much longer than those found in nature. It is the length of these chains, and the patterns in which they are arrayed, that make polymers strong, lightweight, and flexible. In other words, it's what makes them so plastic.

These properties make synthetic polymers exceptionally useful, and since we learned how to create and manipulate them, polymers have become an essential part of our lives. Especially over the last 50 years plastics have saturated our world and changed the way that we live.
The First Synthetic Plastic
The first synthetic polymer was invented in 1869 by John Wesley Hyatt, who was inspired by a New York firm's offer of $10,000 for anyone who could provide a substitute for ivory. The growing popularity of billiards had put a strain on the supply of natural ivory, obtained through the slaughter of wild elephants. By treating cellulose, derived from cotton fiber, with camphor, Hyatt discovered a plastic that could be crafted into a variety of shapes and made to imitate natural substances like tortoiseshell, horn, linen, and ivory.

This discovery was revolutionary. For the first time human manufacturing was not constrained by the limits of nature. Nature only supplied so much wood, metal, stone, bone, tusk, and horn. But now humans could create new materials. This development helped not only people but also the environment. Advertisements praised celluloid as the savior of the elephant and the tortoise. Plastics could protect the natural world from the destructive forces of human need.

The creation of new materials also helped free people from the social and economic constraints imposed by the scarcity of natural resources. Inexpensive celluloid made material wealth more widespread and obtainable. And the plastics revolution was only getting started.
The Development of New Plastics
In 1907 Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic, meaning it contained no molecules found in nature. Baekeland had been searching for a synthetic substitute for shellac, a natural electrical insulator, to meet the needs of the rapidly electrifying United States. Bakelite was not only a good insulator; it was also durable, heat resistant, and, unlike celluloid, ideally suited for mechanical mass production. Marketed as "the material of a thousand uses," Bakelite could be shaped or molded into almost anything, providing endless possibilities.

Hyatt's and Baekeland's successes led major chemical companies to invest in the research and development of new polymers, and new plastics soon joined celluloid and Bakelite. While Hyatt and Baekeland had been searching for materials with specific properties, the new research programs sought new plastics for their own sake and worried about finding uses for them later.
Plastics Come of Age
World War II necessitated a great expansion of the plastics industry in the United States, as industrial might proved as important to victory as military success. The need to preserve scarce natural resources made the production of synthetic alternatives a priority. Plastics provided those substitutes. Nylon, invented by Wallace Carothers in 1935 as a synthetic silk, was used during the war for parachutes, ropes, body armor, helmet liners, and more. Plexiglas provided an alternative to glass for aircraft windows. A Time magazine article noted that because of the war, "plastics have been turned to new uses and the adaptability of plastics demonstrated all over again."[1] During World War II plastic production in the United States increased by 300%.

The surge in plastic production continued after the war ended. After experiencing the Great Depression and then World War II, Americans were ready to spend again, and much of what they bought was made of plastic. According to author Susan Freinkel, "In product after product, market after market, plastics challenged traditional materials and won, taking the place of steel in cars, paper and glass in packaging, and wood in furniture."[2] The possibilities of plastics gave some observers an almost utopian vision of a future with abundant material wealth thanks to an inexpensive, safe, sanitary substance that could be shaped by humans to their every whim.
Growing Concerns about Plastics
The unblemished optimism about plastics didn't last. In the postwar years there was a shift in American perceptions as plastics were no longer seen as unambiguously positive. Plastic debris in the oceans was first observed in the 1960s, a decade in which Americans became increasingly aware of environmental problems. Rachel Carson's 1962 book, Silent Spring, exposed the dangers of chemical pesticides. In 1969 a major oil spill occurred off the California coast and the polluted Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught fire, raising concerns about pollution. As awareness about environmental issues spread, the persistence of plastic waste began to trouble observers.

Plastic also gradually became a word used to describe that which was cheap, flimsy, or fake. In The Graduate, one of the top movies of 1968, Dustin Hoffman's character was urged by an older acquaintance to make a career in plastics. Audiences cringed along with Hoffman at what they saw as misplaced enthusiasm for an industry that, rather than being full of possibilities, was a symbol of cheap conformity and superficiality.
Plastic Problems: Waste and Health
Plastic's reputation fell further in the 1970s and 1980s as anxiety about waste increased. Plastic became a special target because, while so many plastic products are disposable, plastic lasts forever in the environment. It was the plastics industry that offered recycling as a solution. In the 1980s the plastics industry led an influential drive encouraging municipalities to collect and process recyclable materials as part of their waste-management systems. However, recycling is far from perfect, and most plastics still end up in landfills or in the environment. Grocery-store plastic bags have become a target for activists looking to ban one-use, disposable plastics, and several American cities have already passed bag bans. The ultimate symbol of the problem of plastic waste is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which has often been described as a swirl of plastic garbage the size of Texas floating in the Pacific Ocean.

The reputation of plastics has suffered further thanks to a growing concern about the potential threat they pose to human health. These concerns focus on the additives (such as the much-discussed bisphenol A [BPA] and a class of chemicals called phthalates) that go into plastics during the manufacturing process, making them more flexible, durable, and transparent. Some scientists and members of the public are concerned about evidence that these chemicals leach out of plastics and into our food, water, and bodies. In very high doses these chemicals can disrupt the endocrine (or hormonal) system. Researchers worry particularly about the effects of these chemicals on children and what continued accumulation means for future generations.
The Future of Plastics
Despite growing mistrust, plastics are critical to modern life. Plastics made possible the development of computers, cell phones, and most of the lifesaving advances of modern medicine. Lightweight and good for insulation, plastics help save fossil fuels used in heating and in transportation. Perhaps most important, inexpensive plastics raised the standard of living and made material abundance more readily available. Without plastics many possessions that we take for granted might be out of reach for all but the richest Americans. Replacing natural materials with plastic has made many of our possessions cheaper, lighter, safer, and stronger.

Since it's clear that plastics have a valuable place in our lives, some scientists are attempting to make plastics safer and more sustainable. Some innovators are developing bioplastics, which are made from plant crops instead of fossil fuels, to create substances that are more environmentally friendly than conventional plastics. Others are working to make plastics that are truly biodegradable. Some innovators are searching for ways to make recycling more efficient, and they even hope to perfect a process that converts plastics back into the fossil fuels from which they were derived. All of these innovators recognize that plastics are not perfect but that they are an important and necessary part of our future.

[1] Joseph L. Nicholson and George R. Leighton, "Plastics Come of Age," Harper's Magazine, August 1942, p. 306.

[2] Susan Freinkel, Plastics: A Toxic Love Story (New York: Henry Holt, 2011), p. 4.
View as PDF

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History and Future of Plastics What Are Plastics and Where Do They Come From? Plastic is a word that originally meant "pliable and easily shaped." It only recently became a name for a category of materials called polymers. The word polymer means "of many parts," and polymers are made of long chains of molecules.

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Instead of buying sachets, people are encouraged to use reusable containers to buy necessities from established refilling stations.

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In the crowded capital city of Manila, the Philippines, one quarter of the population of 15 million people has less than one dollar to spend per day. Residents depend upon the tiny and ubiquitous convenience stores, known as sari-sari stores, for daily essentials like food and hygiene products , much of which are sold in convenient single-use sachets (small plastic pouches) for just a few cents each. These sari-sari stores are the major source of the 150 million sachets used daily in the Philippines.

In 2018 some 855 billion sachets were used worldwide, over 100 per year for each human alive. Only of all plastics are ever collected and recycled, and the number for sachets is close to zero.

Sachet to Solutions

Multinational plastic producers have begun to address the flood of sachet plastic in Southeast Asia. Parañaque City, in the Philippines, is working with plastics manufacturers, including Nestl é, to build a sachet recycling facility . Unilever's 2012 Sachet Recovery Program encouraged consumers to return used sachets by rewarding them with free sachets . Before the program ended, it captured four to ten million sachets per year, a tiny fraction of the produced. Admitting the scale of the problem, CEO Alan Jope recently announced Unilever will reduce virgin plastic production by half, increase post-consumer product collection and develop reusable containers, however he did not mention sachets.

Sachet in Circles

EPR laws have proven to be economically beneficial. During a recent interview, Miko Aliño from GAIA explained that during monsoon season, flooding in major Filipino cities is made much worse when sachets and other plastic waste clog the waterways and drainage systems. And the city of San Fernando's zero waste initiative is saving millions of dollars each year in waste management and disposal.

Recent reports from the United Nations , , and Duke University all point to a combined approach of less plastic, new materials, and more recycling as necessary to bend the curve on plastic pollution. This systems change approach will lead the world closer to a zero waste or circular economy .

Sachet Away

While there are currently national, regional, and international regulations on waste, none cover sachets. A bill under consideration in the parliament of the United Kingdom would ban many types of single-use plastics and institute a plastic packaging tax, and a broad coalition is fighting to include sachets. The European Union has a law banning single-use plastic set to come into force in 2021, but it does not include sachets.

Under Philippine law RA9003, producers are responsible for their waste, however it suffers from poor implementation and has not been amended to include sachets since its passage in 2000. Citing the millions of dollars it costs the government to deal with the waste each year, environmental activist Von Hernandez and Filipino Senator Cynthia Villar are calling for new EPR laws in the Philippines.

The 1989 the Basel Convention, particularly with regard to single-use plastics. Most Southeast Asian nations Basel Convention -the signature international law on international waste trade-took place before the sachet waste explosion. The 2019 Basel amendment requires countries to give prior informed consent before waste shipments are imported, however, some government ministers in Europe, along with the Basel Action Network, are still calling to further strengthen have ratified the treaty, but the United States has not.

Speaking at the launch event for the PEW Breaking the Plastic Wave report in July, Winnie Lau, Senior Manager for the Preventing Ocean Plastics program, said a delay of just five years on global action to stem the tide of plastic waste equates to another 80 million tonnes of plastic entering the ocean. Even though we have seen bottom-up action to clean up and prevent waste, many national and international actions fail to adequately address the scale of the pollution. The global movement in favor of EPR regulation continues unabated, just like the flow of plastic waste they seek to stop.
Eli Patton Sources: International Energy Agency, Break Free From Plastic, Greenpeace, Reuters, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, Global Plastic Action Partnership, South China Morning Post, Good News Pilipinas, Story of Plastic, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Evoware, Nestle, Business Inquirer, LA Times, Extended Producer Responsibility Alliance, University of Richmond School of Law, Northeast Recycling Council, Product Stewardship Institute, Congress of the United States H.R5931, Parliament of the United Kingdom Environment Bill 2019-21, The Guardian, The Independent, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Aliansi Zero Waste Indonesia, Euronews.com, Financial Times, Sea Circular, PEW, Duke University Nicholas Institute is a current research intern for Wilson Center's China Environment Forum. His research focuses on the environmental and security aspects of China's outbound investment policy. He is on track to complete his MA in Asian Studies from the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs next summer. He is an accomplished translator and has lived and worked in China and Taiwan for numerous years.

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Turning off the Tap: Plastic Sachets and Producer Responsibility in Southeast Asia

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In the crowded capital city of Manila, the Philippines, one quarter of the population of 15 million people has less than one dollar to spend per day. Residents depend upon the tiny and ubiquitous convenience stores, known as sari-sari stores, for daily essentials like food and hygiene products , much of which are sold in convenient single-use sachets (small plastic pouches) for just a few cents each.

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Global Solutions: A running list of action on plastic pollution (see the link below for the list)

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Global Solutions: A running list of action on plastic pollution (see the link below for the list)

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Some of the things being done by countries worldwide include the ban or reduction of single-use plastic. Some countries, on the other hand, have banned the use of styrofoam food and drink containers, and plastic straws. While others have focused on investment with regards to waste collection. A clear gap from this is that it fails to recognize how important plastics are for humans. It is not right to keep banning plastics without simultaneously promoting accessible alternatives.

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This article was created in partnership with the National Geographic Society.

Canada aims to ban single-use plastics by 2021

June 10, 2019

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that in addition to banning single-use plastics, his government would take other, unspecified steps to reduce plastic pollution.

Trudeau did not specify the products to be banned, but said likely candidates include plastic bags, straws, cutlery, plates and stir sticks "where supported by scientific evidence and warranted."

"You've all heard the stories and seen the photos," he said. "To be honest, as a dad it is tough trying to explain this to my kids. How do you explain dead whales washing up on beaches across the world, their stomachs jam packed with plastic bags?

"How do I tell them that against all odds, you will find plastic at the very deepest point in the Pacific Ocean?"

Canada, which has 151,019 miles of coastline-the world's longest-and a quarter of the world's fresh water, joins a growing list of nations taking steps to reduce the use of disposable plastics. More than 60 nations have taken steps to reduce single-use plastics by imposing bans or taxes, according to a United Nations report published last year. In March the European Union's parliament voted to ban the top 10 single-use plastic items found on European beaches by 2021. The EU measure also calls for 90 percent of plastic bottles to be recycled by 2025. Member states must work out the details of bans before the 2021 deadline.

India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, who was overwhelmingly reelected last month to a second five-year term, declared in 2018 that India would eliminate all single-use plastic by 2022, an ambitious plan for the world's second most populated country.

Trudeau made his announcement at the Gault Nature Reserve outside Montreal. He noted that Canada recycles less than 10 percent of its disposable plastics, and is on track to throw away $11 billion worth of disposable plastic by 2030 unless things change.

He said the federal government will work with provinces and territories to introduce standards and targets for plastics manufacturers and retailers so they become more responsible for their plastic waste. Trudeau said he also supports efforts by Canada's minister of environment to create a nationwide strategy for zero plastic waste.

"This will be a big step but we know we can do this for 2021," Trudeau said.

Peru restricts single-use plastic

Visitors will no longer be allowed to carry in single-use plastics into Peru's 76 natural and cultural protected areas, from Machu Picchu to Manu to Huascarán, or national museums. This ban is now going into affect and was announced as a Supreme Decree by Peru's Environment Minister, Fabiola Muñoz, and signed by President Martín Vizcarra, back in November.

The decree says the goal is replacing single-use plastics with "reusable, biodegradable plastic or others whose degradation does not generate contamination by micro-plastics or dangerous substances."

At world-famous Machu Picchu, tourists produce an average of 14 tons of solid waste per day, much of it plastic bottles and other single-use packaging.

In December, Peru's Congress had also passed a law to phase out single-use plastic bags across the country over the next three years. According to Peru's Environment Ministry, the country uses 947,000 tons of plastic each year, while 75 percent is thrown out and only 0.3 percent is recycled.

San Diego Bans Styrofoam Food and Drink Containers

San Diego has joined a growing number of cities to ban containers made of polystyrene, better known as Styrofoam-the Dow Chemical trademark name for extruded polystyrene. The ban includes food and drink containers, egg cartons, ice chest coolers, aquatic toys for swimming pools, and mooring buoys and navigation markers. The ocean-side city is the largest in California to ban polystyrene.

Polystyrene's popularity as a container stems from its low cost, strength, insulation, and feather-weight buoyancy. Those properties also made it a scourge of plastic waste because it easily breaks into tiny, often airborne particles that are difficult to clean up and is generally rejected by recycling centers as too much trouble to recyclable.

The San Diego City Council voted 6-to-3 on January 8 to approve the ban, despite objections from owners of small restaurants who complained that the costs of using environmentally degradable containers, such as cardboard or compostable paper, could be double. The council first approved the ban last October for a trial period. This week's vote made the ban permanent.

D.C. Plastic Straw Ban Begins

One New Year's resolution, to use less plastic, is no longer optional for restaurants and other service businesses in Washington, D.C., as of January 1. By July, businesses in the district will begin receiving fines if they continue to offer plastic straws.

A number of local businesses have already started switching to reusable, washable straws or disposable ones made from paper or hay.

The law follows Seattle's ban earlier in 2018 and aims to reduce the impact of plastic straws as litter. More than 4,000 of the disposed items were found in a recent cleanup of the Anacostia River in D.C. Straws are known to hurt wildlife and are difficult to recycle, often ending up as litter. They make up only a tiny fraction of the total marine plastic pollution problem, leading some critics to say they are a distraction, while others say they are an easy place to start.

(Learn about the travel industry's war on straws and where plastic straws came from in the first place.)

Plastic Fact Named Stat of the Year

This week, Great Britain's Royal Statistical Society announced its statistic of the year. It's 90.5%, the estimated amount of plastic waste ever made that has never been recycled. Estimated at 6,300 million metric tonnes, scientists calculated that around 12 percent of all plastic waste has been incinerated, while roughly 79 percent has found its way into landfills or become litter.

That fact comes from a study published in Science Advances, "Production, Use, and Fate of all plastics ever made," by scientists Roland Geyer, Jenna Jambeck (a National Geographic Society fellow on plastic pollution) and Kara Lavender Law.

"We all knew there was a rapid and extreme increase in plastic production from 1950 until now, but actually quantifying the cumulative number for all plastic ever made was quite shocking," Jambeck, a University of Georgia environmental engineer who specializes in studying plastic waste in the oceans, previously told National Geographic.

"I am grateful to the Royal Statistical Society for the acknowledgement of the impact of this statistic, and while sobering, I am glad that it helps to spread awareness about the plastic waste management issues I see on the ground around the globe," Jambeck said in December.

"It's very concerning that such a large proportion of plastic waste has never been recycled," Royal Statistical Society President Sir David Spiegelhalter said in a statement announcing the winning fact. "This statistic helps to show the scale of the challenge we all face."

"Single-Use" Named Word of the Year

Collins Dictionary named "single-use" their word of the year in 2018, citing a four-fold increase in usage since 2013. The term means "made to be used once only" and refers to "items whose unchecked proliferation are blamed for damaging the environment and affecting the food chain," according to a press release from the dictionary's publisher.

Single-use is most often associated with the plastic pollution crisis. Some 40 percent of all plastic produced is used for packaging, much of it used only once and thrown away.

Many efforts to curb the plastic litter crisis are taking aim at single-use plastics, with the goal of encouraging more durable, reusable items.

Aquariums band together for "No Straw November"

November is the month of not shaving facial hair, and now thanks to a new conservation campaign, the month of not using straws.

Branded as "No Straw November," the campaign is a push to eliminate single-use plastic. The effort is led by the Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP), comprising 22 aquariums in 17 different states. They're pushing 500 businesses to commit to only serving plastic straws upon request. Already, the ACP has worked with large businesses like United Airlines, the Chicago White Sox, and Dignity Health hospitals.

They hope to commit the additional 500 by Earth Day, April 20, 2019.

The No Straw November campaign is also lobbying cities and regional governments to pass ordinances that encourage businesses to use fewer straws. Individuals are also being asked to sign an online pledge to limit their own personal single-use plastic. The efforts are part of what ACP is labeling a joint "#FirstStep" to plastic-free waterways.

Images of marine animals wrapped in plastic or caught with items like straws in their noses have been widely shared, raising awareness of the public. Aquariums have been leaders in phasing out plastic items at their own facilities.

In an interview discussing plastic straws with National Geographic earlier this year, David Rhodes, the global business director for paper straw manufacturer Aardvark Straws, said some of Aardvark's earliest clients were zoos, aquariums, and cruise ships looking to promote an eco-friendly image to their customers.

The ACP says their efforts to reduce dependence on plastic have already eliminated the need for five million straws over the past year.

Earlier this week, the ACP, partnering with the U.N. and European Commission, announced plans to create a global coalition of 200 aquariums that will campaign against plastic.

250 groups launch massive global plastic partnership

Two hundred and fifty organizations responsible for 20 percent of the plastic packaging produced around the world have committed to reducing waste and pollution.

The initiative is called the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, and it includes a diverse group of members including the city of Austin, clothing company H&M, Unilever, PespsiCo, L'Oreal, Nestle, and Coca-Cola.

The Global Commitment touts a number of high-profile partnerships. It's a collaboration with the United Nations and is being led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Other partners include the World Wide Fund for Nature, the World Economic Forum, the Consumer Goods Forum, and 40 academic institutions.

Ultimately, it's working to promote a circular economy for plastic, a concept that entails reusing or repurposing plastic instead of letting it sit in a landfill. The shift would require building or improving collection and processing facilities, and five venture capital firms have pledged $200 million toward the initiative.

Recycling used items into new products is one of the three targets set by the commitment. Corporations joining the commitment must also phase out single-use plastic packaging and ensure it can either be reused, recycled, or composted by 2025.

"While elements of the EMF Global Commitment are moving in the right direction, the problem is that companies are given the flexibility to continue prioritizing recycling over reduction and reuse," said Ahmad Ashov from Greenpeace Indonesia in a press release. "Corporations are not required to set actual targets to reduce the total amount of single-use plastics they are churning out."

Every 18 months, the targets will be reviewed, and participating businesses must publish data on their progress each year.

Governments that join the commitment are pledging to create policies that help support a circular economy.

EU Parliament approves single-use plastic ban

The European Parliament voted 571-53 this week to approve a measure to slash single-use plastic across the continent. The bill still needs to pass additional procedural measures before it can go into effect, but observers say its chances look good and could begin enforcement as early as 2021.

Citing a need to protect the ocean from a deluge of plastic pollution, the bill calls for a European ban on plastic cutlery and plates, cotton buds, straws, drink-stirrers, and balloon sticks, as well as reductions in other types of single-use plastics like food and beverage containers.

The bill was first proposed in May (see below). Great Britain has a similar effort underway (also see below).

The list of plastic items targeted was carefully selected to include items that already have ready alternatives, supporters say. Items with less available alternatives, such as cigarette filters, are being targeted for a more gradual reduction.

Belgian MEP Frédérique Ries, who proposed the bill, called it "a victory for our oceans, for the environment and for future generations," according to the BBC.

Consumer companies invest in waste collection

To keep plastic pollution from entering waterways, manufacturers either have to stop making it or make sure it's collected at the end of its life. But in some developing nations, that waste collection infrastructure is insufficient or nonexistent.

Circulate Capital, a New York City-based investment firm started in 2018, says they have raised $90 million to invest in this issue in Southeast Asia, a move endorsed by conservation group the Ocean Conservancy. CEO of Circulate Capital Rob Kaplan says this investment will go toward improving plastic waste collection on the ground and creating markets for collected material.

PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Procter and Gamble, Danone, Unilever, and Dow are committed to funding the $90 million investment, and Circulate Capital says a deal will be inked by early 2019. The firm says they are also working on ways for medium and small companies to invest.

"While we are working hard to ensure our packaging is designed to be circular, the reality is that it cannot be reused, recycled or composted without effective waste management systems in place," said Danone's Katharina Stenholm in a press release. She was referring to the concept of a circular economy, in which any waste materials in an industry, such as packaging, are reincorporated into new products.

The majority of the world's ocean plastic comes from 10 rivers, eight of which are in Asia, and Circulate Capital is working with scientific advisors, including National Geographic explorer Jenna Jambeck, to pinpoint where their investments can be the most effective.

Plastic bottles, for example, can be collected by small local companies and sold to manufacturers to make new products. Though discarded plastic is often of lower quality, some projects already underway have proved the model can function, and Circulate Capital hopes its investment can lead to new innovations. ( Read about an effort to recycle stranded fishing nets into carpet.)

"There's no silver bullet to stop plastic pollution," says Kaplan. "We're not going to be able to recycle our way out of the problem, and we're not going to be able to reduce our way out of the problem."

But, he hopes Circulate Capital's investments can serve as one piece of the puzzle. He estimates more than a billion dollars would be needed to really build out more efficient waste infrastructure in Southeast Asia. Circulate Capital hopes to bump their commitments to at least $100 million over the next few year as a move in that direction.

Redirecting plastic streams away from the sea

Major companies have been taking steps to eliminate the amount of plastic waste they produce, but what about plastic already in rivers or on beaches that could easily enter the ocean?

That's where NextWave, a coalition founded by companies including Dell and an environmental group called the Lonely Whale, comes in. By employing people living in coastal regions, the group collects discarded plastic within 30 miles of waterways to prevent it from making its way to the sea. So far, NextWave has focused on two types of plastic commonly found in marine environments: Nylon 6 and polypropylene.

This reclaimed plastic is then shipped to manufacturers who reuse it in lieu of producing new plastic. Plastic collection sites are chosen based on where cleanup could have the biggest impact and where the plastic could more easily be taken to an existing recycling facility. These location decisions are informed by science from chemists Jason Lochlin and Jenna Jambeck, a National Geographic explorer.

Today, computer company HP announced it would be joining the NextWave coalition. Since 2016, HP has been working with locals in Haiti to collect a total of 550,000 pounds of plastic that the company has since used to create ink cartridges. According to a press release, HP partnered with a non-profit called the First Mile Coalition, aimed at improving Haitian labor conditions, to create up to 600 jobs collecting plastic bottles.

Along with HP, Ikea has announced that it, too, will partner with NextWave. In addition, the furniture company has committed to phasing out single-use plastics from its stores by 2020, and to designing more sustainably sourced products, including more items made with recycled plastics, by 2030.

Ten companies are now members of NextWave, and they plan to source reclaimed plastics from Indonesia, Chile, the Philippines, Cameroon, and Denmark. NextWave does not yet have numbers for how much plastic they could potentially keep out of the oceans in total, but their website highlights that their partnership with Dell alone kept a total of 3 million pounds of plastic from entering the ocean over the past five years.
Correction: This story has been updated to note that HP worked with the First Mile Coalition in Haiti and to clarify the types of plastic NextWave works with.

American Airlines cuts plastic from lounges

After announcing this summer that they would ban plastic straws and stirrers on their flights (see below), American Airlines now says they will phase out single-use plastic in their lounges.

The airline has lounges in the U.S. and around the world. A representative from the company says the lounges won't serve drinks with straws, and plastic won't be used for flatware. Plastic water bottles will no longer be served, and reusable bags will be given to customers taking food to-go.

Changes to the airlines' lounges are currently going into effect, and onboard straws will be eliminated by November 1. Straws will be available for those who request one, and drink stirrers will be replaced by bamboo sticks.

Cumulatively, the company says their changes will eliminate 71,000 pounds of plastic waste annually.

Foodservice companies phase out single-use plastic

Some 13,000 schools, workplaces, and venues will be plastic bag and stirrer free by 2019, thanks to a new sustainability push by foodservice company Sodexo.

The company provides cafeteria-style meals and concessions to many such clients. Among them is National Geographic's Washington, D.C. headquarters, where compostable utensils and plant-based menus are offered.

Sodexo follows in the footsteps of other foodservice giants, Aramark and Bon Appétit Management, which announced similar sustainability measures this past summer (see below).

In addition to bags and stirrers, Sodexo plans to phase out polystyrene foam (colloquially called Styrofoam) containers by 2025. Plastic straws, a controversial item, will now only be available by request, which the company hopes will cut down on customer usage.

The move, says a representative from the company, will eliminate 245 million single use items that would have otherwise been used at its locations.

The decision is being applauded by environmental groups like Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund, who say that reducing consumption is a key step toward preventing plastic from entering landfills and marine environments. These non-profit groups are increasingly imploring food servers to cut back on the single-use plastic items they buy and sell to customers.

"As a company serving consumers in universities, workplaces, hospitals, schools, stadiums, and so many other venues, we understand both the potential impact we can make through a commitment to reduction and the real benefit that some of these products bring to people every day," Sodexo's vice president for corporate responsibility, Ted Monk, said in a press release.

President Trump Signs Bill to Clean Up Ocean Plastics

President Trump called out other nations, including China and Japan, for "making our oceans into their landfills" when he signed legislation last week to improve efforts to clean up plastic trash from the world's oceans.

"As president, I will continue to do everything I can to stop other nations from making our oceans into their landfills," Trump said at a White House signing ceremony. "That's why I'm please-very pleased, I must say-to put my signature on this important legislation."

The law, passed with bipartisan support, amends the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine Debris Act and funds the program through 2022. The law fosters efforts to clean up plastic trash from the world's oceans and encourages federal trade negotiators to prod "leaders of nations responsible for the majority of marine debris" to improve management of waste that ends up in the oceans.

Trump agreed with Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, one of the bill's co-sponsors, that trade talks with the Philippines should include plastic waste. "We're okay with that," he said. "I understand. A lot comes from there."

Trump also blamed other unnamed countries that "abuse the oceans" and whose trash floats to the West Coast of the United States," creating, he said, "a very unfair situation."

"It's incredible. It's incredible when you look at it," Trump said. "People don't realize it, but all the time we're being inundated by debris from other countries."

Comparatively, the beaches of the United States are among the world's cleanest. Kamilo Beach in Hawaii, which faces the Pacific gyre, where ocean trash collects, is the exception. But most of the world's plastic trash collects in coastal regions and on beaches in developing nations that lack adequate municipal waste collection systems.

Japan has had for years one of the world's highest recycling rates and earlier this year, China stopped buying the world's trash. The United States was one of the top sellers of recycled plastic to China.

The president's full remarks are here, and the text of the Save Our Seas Act is here.

Red Lobster Phasing Out Plastic Straws

The world's largest seafood restaurant company, Red Lobster, announced Monday that it will begin only offering plastic straws upon customer request starting this November in its 700 restaurants. By 2020, the company plans to only offer a more eco-friendly alternative to plastic straws.

The company says the shift should eliminate more than 150 million plastic straws per year, with the goal of reducing the marine plastic pollution problem.

"We are proud to be the first large casual dining restaurant company to make a commitment to eliminate plastic straws from our restaurants," Kim Lopdrup, CEO of Red Lobster, said in a statement. "This is a meaningful step in our long-standing commitment to protect and preserve the world's oceans and marine life. We hope our work helps raise awareness around the issue of plastic straws and encourages other businesses to make similar changes."

Red Lobster says it is looking into alternatives to plastic straws that will still meet the needs of customers with disabilities. (Learn more about plastic straw bans and how the travel industry is cutting back on plastic straws.)

California Approves Bill to Limit Straw Use in Restaurants

California has become the first state to implement a partial ban on plastic straws. Dine-in restaurants will no longer be allowed to automatically provide customers with straws. Instead, customers who need plastic straws will have to request them.

Restaurants that violate the ban will receive warnings first, and repeat offenders will be fined at a maximum of $300.

"Plastic has helped advance innovation in our society, but our infatuation with single-use convenience has led to disastrous consequences. Plastics, in all forms-straws, bottles, packaging, bags, etc.-are choking the planet," California's governor Jerry Brown said in a statement.

The new ban comes on the heels of previous plastic straw bans from companies and cities. Earlier this year, Seattle become the first large municipality to ban plastic straws in restaurants. Large corporations like United Airlines and Disney have also announced this year that they intend to phase plastic straws out of their offerings to customers. Many of these businesses and cities have said they will retain a stock of plastic straws available to customers upon request.

While some environmentalists applaud the move to reduce single-use plastic-plastic that's used once and then thrown away-bans on plastic straws have been met with some controversy.

Republican lawmakers in California opposed the ban, saying it would burden small business and do little to fight the larger plastic pollution crisis. Plastic straws make up less than one percent of the plastic found at sea.

Disability advocates also say straw bans place an unfair burden on people who have conditions that don't allow them to easily drink without straws. Some alternatives like paper fall apart and metal harm the inside of a person's mouth, they say.

Although California isn't the only region moving to limit single use plastic, the state has often tried to lead the nation in environmental legislation, particularly after what Gov. Brown says is a vacuum left by the Trump administration's decision to leave the U.N. Paris Climate Agreement.
Read the brief history of how plastic straws took over the world.

Giant Trash Collector Heads to Pacific Garbage Patch

The campaign to rid the world's oceans of plastic trash marks a turning point on Saturday as a giant, floating trash collector steams out of San Francisco on a mission to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Over the course of the next year, the device will undergo the ultimate tests and face some tough questions: Can technology prevail over nature? Did the engineers at The Ocean Cleanup in the Netherlands invent the first feasible method for extracting large amounts of plastic debris from the sea? Or will the wilds of the open Pacific tear it to shreds, turning the cleaner itself into plastic trash? Alternately, even if a Pacific storm does not devour the device, will it attract marine animals such as dolphins and turtles and fatally entangle them?

"I don't think it's going to work, but I hope it does," says George Leonard, the Ocean Conservancy's chief scientist. "The ocean needs all the help it can get."

United Airlines Bans Plastic Straws from Flights

United Airlines today joined others in the travel industry by banning plastic straws and cocktail picks on their flights.

The airline will instead use a biodegradable bamboo alternative, starting in November.

Alaska and American airlines moved to ban plastic straws earlier this year, and some cities, like Seattle, have outlawed their use entirely.

As one of the reasons for switching to a more sustainable form of straw, United cited this alarming fact: "Because straws don't biodegrade and are nearly impossible to recycle, it's likely that every straw ever used still exists on our planet."

"It's a small, but meaningful step to help minimize the impact plastic products have on our environment," the company said in a press release.

Carlsberg Beer Dumps Plastic Can Rings

Danish brewer Carlsberg will become the first beer producer to ditch those evil plastic multipack rings that hold beer and other cans together for holders made of recyclable glue, according to a company press release.

Carlsberg also says it will cut the amount of plastic used in its traditional can holders by 76 percent.

Here's how the glue-packs work: A drop of super-strong, temperature-tolerant glue is stuck on the side of a can, connecting it to the can next to it. If you want a beer, snap off a can. The glue will be recycled along with the can when it's recycled.

Carlsberg described the move as a "world first for the beer industry."

Disney Announces Ban on Plastic Straws

The Walt Disney Company announced a ban on single-use plastic straws and stirrers at nearly all its theme parks and resorts. The policy, which is set to be in place by mid-2019, will cut down on the upwards of 175 million straws and 13 million stirrers that are used at these locations each year.

Paper straws will be available upon request and, for guests with disabilities, the company is developing alternative options for traditional plastic straws. Disney will also eliminate polystyrene cups at its parks and cut down its reliance on single-use plastic bags. Instead of disposable bags, guests will have the option to buy reusable shopping bags.

Additionally, the company will reduce the amount of plastic in guest rooms by 80 percent. Over the next few years, Disney will transition to refillable amenities in hotels and on cruise ships. When single-use plastics cannot be reduced, Disney will continue to recycle and properly dispose of waste, the company says.

Disney has other conservation measures in place. In Orlando at Disney's Animal Kingdom, plastic straws and cup lids have been banned since the park opened in 1998.

Other theme parks, including SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Sesame Place, have announced initiatives to phase out straws and other single-use plastics. Earlier this month, Seattle banned plastic straws, and San Francisco is working to ban straws and other plastic items starting July 1, 2019.
In July 2018, Disney was approved to purchase 21st Century Fox, the parent company of National Geographic.

National Geographic Travel Partner Bans Single-Use Plastics

On July 25, Lindblad Expeditions, an adventure cruise company that has teamed up with National Geographic Expeditions, announced it had become 100 percent free of single-use plastics. Now, disposable plastic bottles, cups, straws, and stirrers are entirely banned from the fleet's 13 ships.

"The ocean is under major assault on so many fronts, and its protection is both a business mission and a personal passion," Lindblad Expeditions CEO Sven Lindblad says in a press release. "The health of our planet is dependent on our oceans, and it is essential that we change our behavior with regard to plastics."

Lindblad is known for its trips all over the world, particularly to places like Alaska and the Galápagos Islands. The company began working toward this plastic-free goal in 2007 when it banned single-use water bottles from its ships. Instead, it gave guests stainless steel bottles that could be refilled at filtered water stations on the ships. According to a study by the Adventure Travel Trade Association and the nonprofit Travelers Against Plastic, the average adventure travel operator uses nearly 30,000 single-use plastic bottles each year.

About 80 percent of tourism takes place near coastal areas, putting our oceans at a higher risk of plastic pollution. When packing for air travel, consider using three-ounce reusable containers for your toiletries and load them into a durable transparent washbag instead of a plastic bag. On flights, bring your own earphones and turn down "comfort bag" items wrapped in plastic. Bring your reusable water bottle with you and fill it up when you can.

For more tips, read how one of our writers attempted to explore Belize plastic-free.

Big Companies Take Aim at Plastic Straws

Retail, restaurant, and consumer-facing companies could potentially make a big impact in the fight to reduce plastic straw use. They drive much of the demand for straws from plastic manufacturers.

But these businesses are increasingly responding to consumer pressure.

Starbucks is among the most recent companies to announce they'll ditch plastic straws-in this case by the end of 2020. Instead of getting sucked up through a straw, their cold drinks will be served in containers with special plastic lids. Those lids are less likely to get stuck up a turtle's nose and should prove more recyclable than straws, but the company has still received some pushback because the lids are still made of plastic.

McDonald's is also planning to phase out plastic straws at their UK and Ireland locations, coinciding with UK and EU proposals to cut down single-use plastic.

Among the other companies that have moved to reduce how much they use plastic: Bacardi Rum plans to cut their straw usage over the next two years by a billion, food service management giants Bon Appétit Management and Aramark plan to reduce their single-use plastics by 2019 and 2022, respectively, Alaska Airlines will begin phasing out plastic straws this summer, and American Airlines will begin phasing out plastic straws this summer.

It remains to be seen if companies follow through on their goals, and it's clear that banning plastic straws is not going to solve the whole pollution problem. Supporters say reducing our use of straws is an easy first step, while detractors say it could distract from more important issues. In either case, taking aim at plastic straws has become rather fashionable this summer.

Chile's Ban on Retail Plastic Bags Stands

Chile's Constitutional Court ratified a bill that bans retail use of plastic bags across the country on July 6, ruling against an appeal that had been filed by the plastics industry. In June, Chile's Congress had unanimously approved the new ban, citing concerns of plastic pollution in the ocean and on land.

The country's Association of Industrial Plastics had sued to block the new law on constitutional grounds. But the court rejected their arguments.

Large retailers will have six months to phase out single-use plastic bags, while small businesses will have up to two years. The ban builds on a law passed under the previous president that had called for a prohibition on plastic bags along the country's 4,000-mile coastline.

In announcing the new ban, Marcela Cubillos, Chile's environment minister, told the New York Times, "We are convinced that our coast imposes an obligation to be leaders in cleaning up our oceans."

Chile's ban is the first country-wide one in the Americas. Similar bans have been passed in China, Kenya, France, and elsewhere. Many regional and local areas have bans or other restrictions, including taxes or fees aimed at discouraging the use of single-use plastic bags.

Seattle Becomes First U.S. City to Ban Plastic Straws and Utensils

In an attempt to reduce the amount of plastic waste polluting the land and water, Seattle banned the use of plastic straws and utensils in bars and restaurants starting July 1.

The roughly 5,000 eateries in the city are being encouraged to eschew providing straws or disposable utensils, or at least to switch to paper alternatives. A less green but still legal option, according to the city, is compostable plastic straws or utensils.

"Plastic pollution is surpassing crisis levels in the world's oceans, and I'm proud Seattle is leading the way and setting an example for the nation by enacting a plastic straw ban," Seattle Public Utilities General Manager Mami Hara said in a statement.

A similar ban that was proposed for Hawaii was defeated by opposition from industry. Other proposed bans are being debated in San Francisco, New York, and Washington, D.C., among other places.

Some advocates for the disabled have warned that straw bans need to take into account special needs. ( Learn more about the history of plastic straws and other efforts to remove them.)

<p>A whale shark swims beside a plastic bag in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen. Although <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/facts/whale-shark">whale sharks</a> are the biggest fish in the sea, they're still threatened by ingesting small bits of plastic.</p>

EU, UK, and India Propose Plastic Bans

In draft rules released May 28, the European Commission proposed a ban on 10 common items that it says make up about 70 percent of the litter in EU waters. This includes plastic straws, drink stirrers, plates, and more.

The rules would still need approval from member states and the European Parliament to move forward. They would likely not go into effect for several years.

The proposed law would also mandate that EU countries collect and recycle 90 percent of plastic bottles by 2025. Plastic producers would be on the hook for most of the expense of waste management and cleanup efforts.

In April, British Prime Minister Theresa May announced her intent to establish a ban in her country on sales of single-use plastics, including straws and cotton swab handles.

Calling plastic waste "one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world," May said she would work with industry to develop alternatives. An estimated 8.5 billion plastic straws are tossed out in the U.K. every year.

On June 5, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his intent to eliminate all single-use plastic in the country by 2022. With a fast-growing economy and population of 1.3 billion, India struggles to manage its vast waste stream, and is a significant contributor to global ocean plastic.

"Let us all join together to beat plastic pollution and make this planet a better place to live," Modi said.

Experts caution that Modi's goal is far from being realized, and would likely take significant changes and investment from industry and the public. Already, industry lobbyists have taken aim at the efforts. The state of Maharashtra, home to megacity Mumbai, eased a ban on single-use plastic just a week after it unveiled the plan this summer. The state is working on a number of exemptions, for plastic of a certain thickness, products of a certain size, medical equipment, and other uses.

National Geographic is committed to reducing plastics pollution. Learn more about our non-profit activities at natgeo.org/plastics. This story is part of Planet or Plastic?-our multiyear effort to raise awareness about the global plastic waste crisis. Learn what you can do to reduce your own single-use plastics, and take your pledge.

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A running list of action on plastic pollution

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The world is waking up to a crisis of ocean plastic-and we're tracking the developments and solutions as they happen.

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One of the main things that should first be done is to be able to properly recycle the already used sachet packets and turn them into something useful to avoid pollution around the country. Another main thing that needs to be resolved is the production of plastic sachets in major corporations. The lack of options for consumers leaves them no choice but to purchase the product and the main perpetrator of this problem is the producers. Being able to regulate plastic use in these large corporations would help the country significantly in avoiding further pollution and plastic use.

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Having proved the technology, we're now starting discussions with investors and other interested parties to develop a commercial plant capable of processing up to 30 tonnes of material a day.

To support that, we need to substantially increase the volume of flexible plastics we collect. Our ambition is to capture 1,500 tonnes in 2019 and around 5,000 tonnes in 2020.

This means working with governments and industry to develop collection infrastructure, which includes introducing separation in households so that wet and dry waste can be segregated.

One example of where we are already doing this is our Community Waste Bank Programme which empowers communities to manage domestic waste. So far, we have helped communities in 18 cities set up over 2,600 local projects where 350,000 members collect inorganic waste and sell it based on its value. In 2017, they collected over 6,000 tonnes of packaging waste, worth 8.4 billion Indonesian rupiahs.

We are now leveraging this network to recover sachets. For instance, we have started a flexible waste pilot in East Java to collect pouches, and we are creating an end-to-end solution by sending this material to our CreaSolv® Sachet Recycling plant for recycling.

To ensure we can access high volumes of quality materials, we are attaching a value to the sachets and buying them for a market price from intermediaries and informal waste collectors. To date we have collected over 450 tonnes and we are working hard to expand the network.

To support and scale our own efforts, we have signed a collaboration agreement with resource management company Veolia, which includes setting up used packaging collection solutions, adding recycling capacity, and developing new processes and business models. This work will start in Asia.

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Our solution for recycling plastic sachets steps forward

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Having proved the technology, we're now starting discussions with investors and other interested parties to develop a commercial plant capable of processing up to 30 tonnes of material a day. To support that, we need to substantially increase the volume of flexible plastics we collect.

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Active diversion of plastics from waterways

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Active diversion of plastics from waterways

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Aside from reducing the production of wastes, it is also important to ensure that the waste produced is properly disposed. Disposal points can be assigned in communities so that collection (especially of recyclable materials) is made easier.

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Plastic pollution is one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. Philippines is the third largest contributor of ocean plastic and lack the incentive and infrastructure to sort and recycle thin-film plastic due to its low value. Only five percent of thin-film plastics are currently…

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February 27, 2020 at 05:16:43 PM

Media contact: Stefanie Spear, sspear@asyousow.org, 216-387-1609

BERKELEY, CA-FEB. 25, 2020 - Following in-depth engagement by As You Sow and Trillium Asset Management, Waste Management, Inc. (WM) has committed to publishing a report that could help ease the recycling crisis that has developed in parts of the United States. The report will identify gaps in recycling infrastructure, and discuss how many of its processing facilities have been upgraded, which can boost material yield.

China's 2018 ban on plastic waste imports exposed the fragility of parts of the U.S. recycling collection and processing system. In some areas, there is no market for collected recyclable plastics due to historical reliance on China for processing. To help address this situation, Trillium and As You Sow filed a shareholder proposal with WM for 2020, asking it to report on how it can increase the scale and pace of efforts to boost recycling rates, especially in relation to plastic pollution.

The company will provide a report to help identify basic gaps in plastic recycling infrastructure in the U.S. In addition, WM will provide overlay maps and data highlighting its marketing of three commonly recycled types of plastic - PET, HDPE, and polypropylene. This data will show material flows between regions by polymer, and categories of current end market uses for these materials. WM will identify actions it believes will help address the gaps identified in the report - both possible company actions and broader recommendations.

One of the factors in low recycling rates are inefficient or outdated Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF), where collected recyclables are separated for processing. Outdated facilities can result in lower capture rates of recyclables. The company has agreed to disclose information on the number of its MRFs that are equipped with the latest processing equipment, as well as those that are slated for near-term upgrades that can improve recycling outputs and yields, and those that have not been upgraded.

The company will also provide an updated statement on its position on extended producer responsibility (EPR), a strategy that requires consumer goods producers to finance collection and recycling of their packaging, currently paid for by taxpayers. Trillium and As You Sow believe EPR policies are essential to provide adequate funding to collectors and processors to be able to take a range of actions needed to improve recycling rates.

As You Sow and Trillium have withdrawn their shareholder proposal in response to these commitments by the company.

"Less than 10 percent of plastic waste is recycled and the lack of export markets has put heavy strains on the domestic recycling market," said Conrad MacKerron, senior vice president at As You Sow. "This report will provide deeper insight into plastic material flows once they leave consumers hands and should be an invaluable resource to stakeholders working to increase recycling rates."

As You Sow believes more organized, concerted action is needed by producer brands, recyclers, processors, regulators, and advocacy groups to dramatically increase levels of recycling, both to capture the embedded value of these materials, as well as to provide feedstock for the recycled content many brands now promise to use. Without such action, more recyclable plastics will end up in landfills instead of being recycled.

"We are pleased to have been a driving force behind this new action from WM and we hope this report will provide a meaningful addition to the industry's understanding of plastic recycling challenges in the U.S.," said Allan Pearce, a shareholder advocate at Trillium.

To learn more about As You Sow's work on ocean plastics, click here.
Originally posted in As you Sow.

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Waste Management Agrees to Identify Gaps in Recycling Infrastructure as Step Toward Increasing Plastics Recycling | Break Free From Plastic

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Following in-depth engagement by As You Sow and Trillium Asset Management, Waste Management, Inc. (WM) has committed to publishing a report that could help ease the recycling crisis that has developed in parts of the United States. The report will identify gaps in recycling infrastructure, and discuss how many of its processing facilities have been upgraded, which can boost material yield.

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https://www.recyclenow.com/recycling-knowledge/how-is-it-recycled/plastics

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View video transcript
Plastic is one of the most popular and useful materials of modern times: we now use about 20 times more plastic than we did 50 years ago. Its popularity and widespread use is why handling it responsibly and correctly once it becomes waste is so vitally important. We can optimise the lifespan of plastics by re-using and recycling items as many times as possible.

Did you know?

99% of all UK local authorities now offer collection facilities for plastic bottles either through your household recycling collection or at recycling centres.

What about other plastics?

Mixed plastics packaging (trays, tubs, pots, films etc) can also be mechanically recycled, and it is both economically and environmentally effective to do so. Infrastructure for the collection, sorting and reprocessing of these valuable resources has increased in the UK in recent years.

Currently, 79% of councils collect other rigid plastic packaging such as pots, tubs and trays in household recycling collections.

Enter your postcode into Recycling Locator tool to find out which plastics your council collects.

How is it recycled?

Plastics are:

It is a two-stage process:

Sorting is mainly done automatically with a manual sort to ensure all contaminants have been removed

Once sorted and cleaned, plastic can either be shredded into flakes or melt processed to form pellets before finally being moulded into new products.

Environmental impact

Plastic is a popular and highly versitile material, and we use a lot of it. Optimising the lifespan of plastics by re-using and recycling items as many times as possible, for example, by recycling used plastic bottles into new ones, we can therefore reduce our need to create new plastic.

This means we can:

conserve non-renewable fossil fuels (oil)

reduce the consumption of energy used in the production of new plastic

reduce the amount of solid waste going to landfill

reduce emission of gases like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Problems and issues

There are many different types of plastic in use, some of which we can recycle in the UK and other types - including that used to make flexible pouches - which will require new technology before we are able to recycle it effectively. This means that some plastic still goes to landfill, some is incinerated and some shipped abroad for recycling.

There are currently large investments being made in Britain to help our domestic plastic recycling sector cope with the variety of plastics in use and it won't be long before we operate a more efficient recycling system for all different types of plastic packaging.

In the meantime we can all do our bit to improve things now. Recycling plastic bottles is one easy way to help. They are usually made from two easily recyclable plastics - PET and HDPE - and can be recycled by most of us via our household recycling collections or local recycling centres.

Made from recycled

There is a wide range of products made from recycled plastic including:

refuse sacks and carrier bags

underground drainage systems for homes and national infrastructure

flower pots, seed trays, watering cans and water butts

wheel arch liners and bumpers on cars

damp proof membranes, guttering and window profiles used in construction

reusable crates and pallets

wheel bins and food caddies

composters and wormeries

drinks bottles and food trays

polyester fabric for clothing.

The different types of plastic

You may notice symbols on plastic packaging explaining the type of plastic they're made of and how to recycle them. Read Packaging symbols explained for more information.

You may have seen an increase in businesses moving to different types of plastic packaging, but knowing your bio-plastics from your biodegradable plastics can be very confusing.

Plastic can be made from fossil-based or bio-based materials. Both can be used to make highly durable, non-biogradable plastics, or plastics which either biodegrade or compost.

Fact: Just because a plastic is made from bio-based sources, does not automatically mean it will biodegrade!

Only non-biodegradable plastic can be recycled, regardless of whether it is fossil-based or bio-based. Enter your postcode into our Recycling Locator tool to find out which plastics your council collects.

Compostable plastics can be composted at industrial scale composting facilities, so you can put these in with your green waste but only if it goes to one of these facilities - your council will be able to tell you where your green waste goes.

Some compostable plastics can also be home composted and should be clearly labelled if this is the case. Compostable plastics should not go in with your dry recycling as they cannot be recycled in the same way as non-biodegradable plastic.

Biodegradable plastics also cannot be recycled in the same way as non-biodegradable plastics. Some can be composted, but not all, and should be clearly labelled if this is the case.
Biodegradable packaging should be clearly labelled as such, and should not go in with your dry recycling.
Find out more about plastics recycling

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Everything you need to know about recycling plastics

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View video transcript Plastic is one of the most popular and useful materials of modern times: we now use about 20 times more plastic than we did 50 years ago. Its popularity and widespread use is why handling it responsibly and correctly once it becomes waste is so vitally important.

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https://www.recycleandrecoverplastics.org/consumers/kids-recycling/plastics-can-become/

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Recycling Innovations

Through education, collaboration, new business models, and with the right set of domestic policies, we can continue to develop and scale innovative new technologies that can convert post-use plastics into a wide range of valuable end products.

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Through education, collaboration, new business models, and with the right set of domestic policies, we can continue to develop and scale innovative new technologies that can convert post-use plastics into a wide range of valuable end products.

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Abstract

This study investigates how, in the process of industrialization, Taiwan successfully developed its plastic waste industry into an industrial-level circular economy by leveraging a network-based collective bricolage in conjunction with a framework of adaptive institutional governance. Three conclusions are made: industrialized manufacturing sectors are foundations upon which developing nations can accumulate endogenous social capabilities and can enable the emergence of network-based collective bricolages; for developing nations that are attempting to establish circular economies based on their endogenous small-to-medium enterprises, developing network-based collective bricolages in conjunction with adaptive institutional governance is an essential and effective strategy; and transitioning into green-related sectors can further drive economic development and lead to the creation of new ventures, businesses, and job opportunities while supporting the formation of a circular economy. The approach is especially relevant for developing countries starting their industrialization process and waste management initiatives with few resources.

View Abstract

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Supporting a circular economy: Insights from Taiwan's plastic waste sector and lessons for developing countries

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This study investigates how, in the process of industrialization, Taiwan successfully developed its plastic waste industry into an industrial-level circular economy by leveraging a network-based collective bricolage in conjunction with a framework of adaptive institutional governance.

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50% of unrecyclable residual waste in the Philippines comprises of sachet packets. This waste ends up in different lakes, oceans, and sewers in the Philippines. This may cause an unhealthy ecosystem and cause floods all over the country. This issue therefore becomes an issue with pollution rather than plastic. Moreover, Ramos (2019) states that the daily use of sachets that amount to 163 million may eventually leave Metro Manila in a foot deep of sachets. The constant issue regarding the disposal of these sachets is also an ongoing issue within the country. More often that not, sachets are discarded haphazardly among communities which causes the clogging of drains which triggers flooding and the pollution of oceans.

Sources: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/03/08/1899775/filipinos-throw-away-almost-164-m-sachets-daily-report
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1138903/59-7b-sachets-may-soon-flood-metro
https://www.no-burn.org/sachets-fuel-plastic-waste-crisis-in-the-philippines/

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MANILA, Philippines - Almost 164 million pieces of plastic sachets are thrown by Filipinos daily, a study on the country's plastic pollution problem by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives revealed.

Annually, around 59.8 billion of pieces of sachets are used in the Philippines.

The study, which was released Thursday, also showed that an average Filipino uses 591 pieces of sachets, 174 shopping bags and 163 plastic labo bags yearly.

The use of shopping bags throughout the Philippines is at almost 57 million per day (around 20.6 billion pieces annually), while the use of plastic labo bags (smaller, thinner and often transparent plastic bags) is at 45.2 million per day (16.5 billion pieces annually).

Filipinos discard around three million diapers daily or 1.1 billion diapers per year, the report also showed.

"These figures show that the sheer volume of residual waste generated daily is beyond the capacity of barangays, cities and municipalities to manage: the problem is the huge amount of single-use plastics being produced, not the way the waste in managed," GAIA's report read.

The study also found out that organic waste comprised more than 60 percent of household waste in the country.

GAIA said that this confirmed that organic waste management is an "important" strategy that would create "substantial" waste reduction for local governments.

The data in the report was gathered through the waste assessment and brand audit tool developed by non-governmental organization Mother Earth Foundation.

The report compiled data from 21 waste assessments conducted in six cities and seven municipalities across the country. These sites are the project areas of MEF under its Zero Waste Cities project implemented by GAIA.

Call to government, corporations

The aims of the report include emphasizing the role of corporations in the global proliferation of plastic waste and reinforcing the need for these companies to accept liability for the impact of their product and the packaging in which their products are sold.

It found out that more than half of all unrecyclable residual waste discarded in the country is branded waste-with 10 companies responsible for 60 percent of all branded waste in the study sites.

"With the absence of policies mandating liability and accountability of the production of this problematic waste stream, cities and municipalities are left to deal with this problem using taxpayers' money," GAIA's report said.

It added: "This highlights the urgent need for interventions that involve manufacturers in taking responsibility for their plastic waste, primarily by drastically reducing production of throwaway plastic packaging."

The report also called on the government to institute a comprehensive national plastic bag ban that promotes reusable bags, regulate other single-use plastic products, mandate companies to redesign packaging, strengthen ban against waste incineration and order diaper companies to present viable alternatives to disposable diapers.

"Plastic is not a litter problem, it is a pollution problem, and it starts as soon as the plastic is made. Faced with no choice but plastic packaging, people are forced to be complicit in the plastic pollution crisis," it said.

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Filipinos throw away almost 164-M sachets daily - report

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MANILA, Philippines - Almost 164 million pieces of plastic sachets are thrown by Filipinos daily, a study on the country's plastic pollution problem by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives revealed. Annually, around 59.8 billion of pieces of sachets are used in the Philippines.

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16.6% of Filipinos live in poverty and a third of those are comprised of farmers. In 2019, 64% of Filipino households experienced food insecurity. This issue had worsen during the COVID-19 pandemic with 4.2 million families experiencing hunger. Gaia (2014) states that the demand of sachet products is higher in lower socioeconomic brackets due to the marketing of large corporations. Sachets products are commonly advertised as affordable most especially for daily-wage earners. They are advertised in such a way that shows their target market (lower class) that high quality branded products can be purchased in small quantities. This likewise allows poor Filipino families to ration the products available to them better as they come in smaller portions as compared to larger packets/containers. Given the reliance of the lower class on sachet products, larger corporations take advantage of this as a way for them to increase their profit. A possible change to a more sustainable packaging can therefore decrease the demand for this due to a possible increase in costs and price of the commodity. Given this, it is important for both the government and corporations to find a balance between promoting a sustainable economy and ensuring that food insecurity does not increase in the process.

Source:
https://borgenproject.org/poverty-in-the-philippines-2/
https://www.no-burn.org/sachets-fuel-plastic-waste-crisis-in-the-philippines/
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-asia-waste-philippines-idUSKCN1VO0G3
https://wwf.org.ph/what-we-do/food/thesustainablediner/

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The Philippines is a country in the Pacific Ocean that is made up of over 7,000 small islands. The Philippines struggles with issues of global poverty, healthcare and education. However, progress has been made in recent years to combat these issues and ensure that every Filipino citizen is able to live a healthy and happy life.

7 Facts About Poverty in the Philippines

1. Data indicates that 16.6% of the population of the Philippines, or about 17.6 million people, live under the poverty line. Those who reside in rural areas have a much higher chance of experiencing poverty, with nearly one-third of those under the poverty line working as farmers.

2. The Philippines is exposed to more natural disasters than any other nation in the world. These disasters, which include typhoons, earthquakes and cyclones, cause horrific devastation and contribute heavily to the high poverty rate in this country. Other causes of poverty in the Philippines include low job creation, low economic growth and high levels of population growth.

3. For every 1,000 babies born in the Philippines, 28 die before they turn 5 years old. Many of these children die of pneumonia. The Philippines is one of the 15 countries that make up over 75% of the pneumonia deaths globally. A lower socioeconomic status, which often leads to limited access to vaccinations and healthcare options, contributes to this high rate of pneumonia.

4. As of 2019, an estimated 64% of Filipino households struggle with food insecurity, and two in every 10 children under the age of 5 are underweight. The high rates of natural disasters and large numbers of people living in rural areas contribute to this hunger problem and make food inaccessible for many in the Philippines.

5. The COVID-19 crisis has affected all aspects of life in the Philippines but especially food access. A study done in May of 2020 showed that 4.2 million families reported struggling with involuntary hunger, doubling since December 2019. This is likely due to the economic devastation and financial issues that many countries around the world have struggled with since the pandemic.

6. The Filipino Government has launched its Philippines Development Plan in an effort to combat poverty and hunger and ramp up job creation in the country. This plan was initiated in 2011 and updated in 2017 and has reported remarkable success in job creation, education and poverty reduction.

7. Various Filipino NGOs as well as some from outside of the country, have worked to combat poverty in the Philippines. A group called Zero Extreme Poverty PH 2030 (ZEP) has led the charge, dedicating itself to eliminating poverty in the nation by 2030 by enacting positive change in eight areas: education, environment, health, housing and shelter, livelihoods, peace and human security and social justice. In 2018, ZEP created a coalition of various NGOs from both the Philippines and around the world, with the goal of helping those living under the poverty line in the country.

Poverty Progress in the Philippines

While the Philippines still struggles with extreme poverty, especially in rural areas, progress is being made to combat the issues that this country is facing. These seven facts about poverty in the Philippines illuminate both the strides that are being made and the further steps that must be taken to improve the lives of Filipino people struggling with poverty and hunger.

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7 Facts About Poverty in the Philippines - The Borgen Project

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The Philippines is a country in the Pacific Ocean that is made up of over 7,000 small islands. The Philippines struggles with issues of global poverty, healthcare and education. However, progress has been made in recent years to combat these issues and ensure that every Filipino citizen is able to live a healthy and happy life.

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3. Break Free From Plastic - https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/takeaction/#connect-with-us

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1. Mother Earth Foundation -  act@motherearthphil.org
2. GAIA -https://www.facebook.com/GAIAAsiaPacific/

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4. WWF - Philippines: teampanda@wwf.org.ph

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5. The Plastic Flamingo: hello@theplaf.com
https://www.facebook.com/theplaf/

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Department of Environment and National Resources

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Department of Environment and National Resources

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https://www.denr.gov.ph/index.php/contact-us

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Introducing sustainable plastic management systems are expected to enhance PWM. Doing so would also provide the country additional energy resources from the waste. (Mourshed. 2017)

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Rigorous research would be needed to identify the gaps within the sachet economy, It would also require us to contact pertinent stakeholders to better gauge the situation within the country.

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Although plastics helped in the development of modern technologies, problems in waste and health have become a growing concern about pollution since its persistence contribute to environmental calamities. Widescale manufacturing of this has also contributed in the degradation of human health.

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Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives

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Quezon City, Philippines (July 14, 2020) -New findings and recommendations for companies and policymakers to address the onslaught of plastic sachet waste were revealed in a new , SACHET ECONOMY: Big Problems in Small Packets released today by environmental organization Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and the global movement Break Free From Plastic.

The report commissioned by GAIA uses data from University of Santo Tomas' Research Center for Social Sciences and Education (RCSSEd) for their research on Filipinos' sachet consumption habits. According to the report, single-use plastics, specifically sachets, are a growing concern in the Philippines because of the affordability and convenience they give to users. What is also striking is that while certain local governments have gone beyond the usual plastic bag bans by passing ordinances, the exclusion of sachets from local laws is alarming.

"Sachets are perceived as inexpensive, and convenient because of their small and durable packaging, but in reality, they are expensive for cities to manage, difficult to effectively recycle, and cannot be reused, " quipped Miko Aliño, GAIA Asia Pacific program manager.

The findings in the report further show how corporations have managed to evade responsibility for sachet waste, which leaves local governments and communities struggling with this non-recyclable waste to address the imminent sachet pollution crisis.

"Corporations have greatly benefited from these products by marketing them for their low cost and convenience but they are not made accountable for the pollution that comes along with its production and disposal," he said.

Moreover, the report says that sachet purchase and use tend to be higher among lower socioeconomic brackets. This is because multinational companies advertised them as affordable for daily-wage earners for them to be able to purchase branded quality products in small quantities. It is based on the premise that sachets help consumers ration their use of a product better than big containers, thereby reducing product wasting.

"Sachets may have brought better quality products to poor communities but the problem is that they have become a waste nightmare. When sachets are discarded indiscriminately, these clog drains and contribute to flooding or even pollute our oceans. With this data, we can really see that companies are really the ones to be blamed. We can also use this report's findings to pursue regulations that would compel companies to acknowledge their liability for plastic pollution" he added .

With the lack of an integrated national policy on sachet use, the report cited efforts of local government units and the need to step up to address a large part of the country's plastic waste problem including production of throwaway plastic packaging and the actions that companies must do to reverse plastic-related problems and pollution.

"There is this crucial necessity to craft regulations that would include sachets in the big picture, and to demand accountability from the companies that manufacture them. The government and members of our communities need to clamor for extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies for corporations to become fully responsible for their products," said Beau Baconguis, Asia Pacific coordinator of #breakfreefromplastic.

"EPR is just one solution which is a policy principle that extends the responsibility of product manufacturers to the entire life cycle of a product. Even after these have been sold, EPR shifts back the obligation for the life cycle impacts of products to the manufacturers, including the managing of their waste," she added.

The report also presents the attitude of Filipinos towards plastics such as how our culture is continuously redefined and assimilated in the tactics of big businesses in perpetuating decades of plastic pollution. Furthermore, the report discusses public attitudes towards plastic pollution and lays out several recommendations and initiatives from the environmental organizations, private sector, and social enterprises towards efforts to address the situation.

" Filipinos had done very well without sachets in the past. We bought cooking oil and condiments in small portions or in our community sari-sari stores with our own reusable containers and mugs. Wet goods such as fish and meat were usually wrapped in used paper or banana leaves," said Rei Panaligan, National Coordinator of Break Free From Plastic Philippines.

"With this, we want to encourage again our businesses and retailers to adopt alternative delivery systems by putting refilling stations and encouraging customers to bring their own reusable bags and containers. Moreover, this should be part of a better normal way forward in a post-COVID scenario wherein alternative delivery systems and refill stations are part of the plan. As shown by the latest statements of scientists worldwide, reusable is still safe to be used during this pandemic, " he added.

For more info, the report can be downloaded at: http://www.no-burn.org/Sachet-Economy

Statement of 120 experts and scientists assuring the safety of reusables during this pandemic: https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/2020/06/23/reusables-can-be-used-safely-over-115-health-experts-fire-back-at-the-plastic-industry/

Sonia Astudillo, GAIA Asia Pacific Communications Officer, +63 9175969286

Jed Alegado, BFFP Asia Pacific Senior Communications Officer, +63 917 6070248

Geri Matthew Carretero, BFFP Philippines Communications Officer, +63 917 6216901

About GAIA - Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives is a worldwide alliance of more than 800 grassroots groups, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in over 90 countries whose ultimate vision is a just, toxic-free world without incineration. www.no-burn.org

About BFFP - #breakfreefromplastic Movement is a global movement envisioning a future free from plastic pollution. Since its launch in 2016, more than 8,000 organizations and individual supporters from across the world have joined the movement to demand massive reductions in single-use plastics and to push for lasting solutions to the plastic pollution crisis.These organizations share the common values of environmental protection and social justice, which guide their work at the community level and represent a global, unified vision. www.breakfreefromplastic.org

About BFFP Philippines Project- The #breakfreefromplastic Philippines project is a collaboration of #breakfreefromplastic members EcoWaste Coalition, GAIA Asia Pacific, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia and Mother Earth Foundation working towards a future free from plastic pollution.

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Sachets fuel plastic waste crisis in the Philippines - Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives

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Quezon City, Philippines (July 14, 2020) -New findings and recommendations for companies and policymakers to address the onslaught of plastic sachet waste were revealed in a new , SACHET ECONOMY: Big Problems in Small Packets released today by environmental organization Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and the global movement Break Free From Plastic.

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One of the main things that the Philippine lacks is government regulations that could control the use and production of plastic sachet packets. At the minimum, the government can require large companies to have biodegradable sachets and at most take away the use of plastic by companies as a whole.

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Plastic Materials and Environmental Externalities: Structural Causes and Corrective Policy

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Several negative externalities arising from the consumption and disposal of plastics materials are described. Such externalities include the aesthetic damage created by landfills containing plastic waste, the impact to marine life of plastic residuals, the hazardous emissions of plastic incineration, and the economic inefficiencies created by the difficulty of plastic reutilization from recycling.

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Tingi is the practice of selling goods at small amounts. Many Filipinos consume this as these are cheap, handy and disposable (Tiquia, 2019). Local and multinational brands used this as a packaging strategy to appear "pro-poor" , but the additional waste poses a threat to the environment (leaving it to sit in landfills for decades or being washed out to the sea - endangering marine lives)

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MA. LOURDES TIQUIAFILIPINOS of a certain era seem unable to think big. We think in terms of small things such as tingi.The word refers to the “practice of selling and buying...

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The most favored response to the threat of plastics is to either limit or completely ban their use. However, there is a lack of effort to find alternatives to plastics. If this were to continue, the poor would suffer as necessities could become inaccessible. Solutions include recylcing and upcylcing as well as innovating plastic alternatives.

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Lack of incentives that promote R&D in efficient recycling method and current plastic alternatives are expensive and cheaper ones are not yet common.

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Promoting circular economy is a key lesson learned. Transitioning to green related sectors has the capacity to increase economic development and increase employment and may contribute to a developing country's industrialization process.

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Sea Waste Education to Eradicate Plastic (SWEEP)

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Sea Waste Education to Eradicate Plastic (SWEEP)

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http://www.prrcf.org/contact-us/

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PHILIPPINE REEF AND RAINFOREST CONSERVATION FOUNDATION INC.
No. 164, 105th St., Green Plains, Brgy. Singcang, Bacolod City 6100, Philippines
+63 (917) 320-1099 * +63 (34) 445-8367 * prrcfi@danjuganisland.ph
DANJUGAN ISLAND Brgy. Bulata, Cauayan, Negros Occidental 6112, Philippines
www.prrcf.org * www.danjuganisland.ph * FB/IG: @prrcfi @danjuganisland

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PHILIPPINE REEF AND RAINFOREST CONSERVATION FOUNDATION INC. No. 164, 105th St., Green Plains, Brgy. Singcang, Bacolod City 6100, Philippines+63 (917) 320-1099 * +63 (34) 445-8367 * prrcfi@danjuganisland.ph DANJUGAN ISLAND Brgy. Bulata, Cauayan, Negros Occidental 6112, Philippineswww.prrcf.org * www.danjuganisland.ph * FB/IG: @prrcfi @danjuganisland

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https://www.thebamboocompany.ph/a/contact-form

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We are the Bamboo Company, your number one eco-friendly adventure buddy for your eco-friendly bamboo product needs! Your number one buddy for your bamboo toothbrush, bamboo tumbler, bamboo razor, bamboo watch, bamboo everything in the Philippines!

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https://www.econestph.com/pages/contact-us

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Important Notice: Please expect delays in order processing and deliveries due to nationwide community quarantine conditions. Thank you for your understanding. Chat with your personal EcoNest Packaging Consultant below (Mon-Fri, 10am to 5pm). 🌏

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FAQs Can't find the answer you're looking for? Here are some of our most frequently asked questions to help you out! Company Products Return Our Products Back to Nature Orders Why choose EcoNest Philippines? EcoNest Philippines provides holistic solutions to to address current environmental issues. We help PREVENT furt

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With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the problem with plastic waste has heightened, increasing the consumption and disposal of single-use plastics. The following explored methods that have already been implemented or explored globally:

1. Sustainable packing
2. Stricter environmental regulations
3. Plastic Circular Economy
4. Promoting consumer green behavior
5. Artificial Intelligence (AI) for plastic waste management

(Mehran et al., 2020)

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Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc.

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Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc.

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The proponents of Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc. discussed what they are currently doing to help resolve the issue of plastic waste. More importantly, the NGO was able to discuss how we as students can help and some of the hindrances they personally encountered in promoting change. As mentioned before, their main issue highly involves the lack of implementation by the government and their lack of prioritization towards this issue.

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Upon consultation with different NGOs, it could be noted that one of the most prominent issues that they face in addressing the issue at hand involves the lack of government implementation. Despite having policies in place, the support of local governments in particular cause trouble. The NGOs state that this is the case due to the prioritization of local governments. They (NGOs) find that LGUs prioritize other issues such as road repairs and the like instead of investing their funds on the proper implementation of waste policies.

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One of the obstacles that will certainly be faced when addressing this issue is higher costs. A shift to a more sustainable packing would imply heavy research and investment. Companies would spend millions of Pesos in order to find a sustainable packaging that could withstand the transportation of goods and climate in the country. Given that this requires a large investment, this will reflect in the price of the goods that they sell which may lead to a loss in revenue since not all Filipinos are capable of buying a more expensive good.

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Another concern that will be brought up by this involves food insecurity. Given that impoverished Filipinos highly rely on sachet products, an increase in costs brought brought by a change in packaging may lead to a higher percentage of food insecurity in the country. Given the current state of the country brought especially by the pandemic, it may not be ideal to implement such change at this certain time.

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Given the relevance of this issue and the growing popularity of sustainable products, one of the main opportunities this brings for the group is the partnership with University Orgs or Student Councils. Due to the "Woke" nature of the current generation, this could serve as a start to implement change within our households.

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Through our mentoring session with Bambuhay, we gained more knowledge on the magnitude of the problem, specifically the gaps in the existing solutions that local government officials have been implementing when it comes to plastic waste management.

Apart from this, we also gained insight on potential paths to pursue in addressing the problem such as introducing plastic alternatives, accessible recycling services and seminars.

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Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc. 

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Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc. 

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Upon discussion with the NGO on the 11th of December 2021, it was highlighted that the findings of the group are in line with what the organization has presented and discussed.

Contact Person: Princess Bala-an  princess@danjuganisland.ph

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Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, INC (PCEPSDI)

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Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, INC (PCEPSDI)

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Our group also learned valuable insights from PCEPSDI. In our mentoring session with them, we were able to further specify what we wanted to produce as a group. Notably, we have learned that sustainable plastic alternatives are actually cheaper to produce than actual plastics. The only problem is that plastics are mass-produced which makes them more attractive for producers. Pieces of information such as this are interesting enough to spark conversations about the problem.

Aside from these, we have also learned the importance of awareness programs to attract mass appeal. This can be done at a local level by talking to baranggay heads or schools, or conducting marketing information drives through social media or the radio.

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Although our intended project is small, this social innovation through conducting a set of seminars as well as recycling service drives would be beneficial to uplift both the conditions of the environment and be budget friendly for low income households. This was marked feasible and appropriate upon discussion with the head of Bambuhay on the 4th of December 2021.

Contact Person: Mark Gervasa

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Philippine Center for Environmental Protectionand Sustainable Development, INC (PCEPSDI)

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Philippine Center for Environmental Protectionand Sustainable Development, INC (PCEPSDI)

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Through our discussion with the NGO on the 4th of December 2021, we came to a consensus that it is important to present to people the gravity of the problem, and spark their interest to be more involved with dealing with plastic waste and consumption. This is also in line with the vision of their organization of raising awareness regarding circular economy.

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Two-sided Approach: Producers and consumers must practice better waste management and responsible use

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Two-sided Approach: Producers and consumers must practice better waste management and responsible use

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The study of Mehran et al. (2017) have proven that the following solutions - specifically, stricter environmental regulations, promoting circular economy and greener consumer behavior has all helped mitigate the problem, However, it all boils down to stricter implementation, and making greener choices and alternatives more attractive, affordable and accessible to the masses.

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aG2iYjmZLFMAXceAaLakc_DxnQMUq3Mt/view?usp=sharing

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Laws and ordinances on solid waste management aren't new to the Philippines. However, it clearly lacks proper implementation. One reason for this is inadequacy of LGUs' capabilities to respond to the sheer amount of waste produced in highly dense areas. Support from the national government is needed to reduce the waste produced and to help collect solid waste. Steps have been made to ban single-use plastics. However, what is lacking now is the inclusivity of our solutions.

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Innovations have been made to reutilize old sachets and turn them to usable ones. This can become the future of manufacturing as this allows the continued use of sachets (especially for the poor) without having to worry about it ending up in bodies of water.

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Billions of single-use plastic sachets are sold every year, particularly in developing and emerging markets. Sachets allow low-income consumers to buy small amounts of products that would otherwise be unaffordable to them. But without a viable recycling solution, these sachets often end-up in the natural environment.

As part of its Sustainable Living Plan, Unilever has long been committed to finding an alternative to throwing sachets away. The CreaSolv® Process technology has been adapted from a method used to separate brominated flame retardants from waste electrical and electronic equipment polymers. During the process, the plastic is recovered from the sachet, and the plastic then used to create new sachets for Unilever products.

The CreaSolv® Process produces recycled plastic containing virgin material properties. The solvent-based CreaSolv® Process effectively removes contaminants and additives that reduce the quality of the recycled plastic produced by conventional recycling processes. This means that a wide variety of very pure plastics can be recovered even if they are initially present in mixed plastic waste. The high quality of the recycled plastics enables their reutilization to manufacture plastic products.

A number of plants designed to use the CreaSolv® Process are under construction. The first operational plant was commissioned in 2018 by Unilever in Indonesia. It recycles three metric tons of material per day.

See https://plasticsmartcities.org/collections/prevention-minimization/products/edible-packaging to learn more.

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Creasolv leverages a new technology to separate plastic composites embodied in sachets, thereby enabling the recycling of contaminated plastics that would otherwise be disposed of after a single-use. TARGET USERS: Individuals, Businesses, Industry COSTS: See contact for more information. KEY CONSIDERATIONS: Creosolv is

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Clearly, humans have long since recognized the need to not only manage wastes but to drastically reduce unnecessary consumption as well for the sake of our health and safety against natural disasters. However, with a rising population, a significant portion of which are living in poverty, more humane measures must be implemented so as not to make basic needs inaccessible to them.

Merely, providing plastic substitutes is not enough for an inclusive solution. On the other hand, looking for cheap alternatives could lead to exploitation. Hence, teaching skills that can be used to participate in the circular economy can empower people. This way, they are not "cornered" into a lifestyle just because of economic constraints. Through empowerment, people can feasibly commit to a sustainable way of life.

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Evidence show that the sachet economy negatively impact biodiversity. Poor disposal of sachets clog drains, which results in flooding and pollution. People are not the only ones being affected since marine life are also threatened/on the verge of extinction.

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Environmental groups have expressed a growing concern for single-use plastics, specifically sachets, due to the affordability and convenience they give to Filipino consumers.

(FILE PHOTO / REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez/ MANILA BULLETIN)

A new report, titled "Sachet Economy: Big Problems in Small Packets," which was released on Tuesday was commissioned by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) using the data from University of Santo Tomas' Research Center for Social Sciences and Education to look into Filipinos' sachet consumption habits.

"Sachets are perceived as inexpensive, and convenient because of their small and durable packaging, but in reality, they are expensive for cities to manage, difficult to effectively recycle, and cannot be reused," GAIA Asia-Pacific program manager Miko Aliño said.

GAIA and the global movement Break Free From Plastic also lamented the "alarming" exclusion of sachets from local laws, even though some local governments have gone beyond the usual plastic bag bans by passing ordinances.

The report showed how corporations managed to evade responsibility for sachet waste, which leaves local governments and communities struggling with this non-recyclable waste to address the imminent sachet pollution crisis.

"Corporations have greatly benefited from these products by marketing them for their low cost and convenience but they are not made accountable for the pollution that comes along with its production and disposal," Aliño said.

Moreover, the report found that sachet purchase and use tend to be higher among lower socioeconomic brackets. The groups said it is because multinational companies advertised them as affordable for daily-wage earners for them to be able to purchase branded quality products in small quantities.

It is based on the premise that sachets help consumers ration their use of a product better than big containers, thereby reducing product wasting, they added.

"Sachets may have brought better quality products to poor communities but the problem is that they have become a waste nightmare. When sachets are discarded indiscriminately, these clog drains and contribute to flooding or even pollute our oceans. With this data, we can really see that companies are really the ones to be blamed. We can also use this report's findings to pursue regulations that would compel companies to acknowledge their liability for plastic pollution," Aliño said.

LACK OF INTEGRATED NATIONAL POLICY

The report cited efforts of local government units and the need to step up to address a large part of the country's plastic waste problem, including production of throwaway plastic packaging, and actions that companies must do to reverse plastic-related problems and pollution.

'TINGI' CULTURE

The report also presented the attitude of Filipinos towards plastics, such as how our culture is continuously redefined and assimilated in the tactics of big businesses in perpetuating decades of plastic pollution.

Furthermore, the report discussed public attitudes towards plastic pollution and laid out several recommendations and initiatives from the environmental organizations, private sector, and social enterprises towards efforts to address the situation.

"Filipinos had done very well without sachets in the past. We bought cooking oil and condiments in small portions or tingi in our community sari-sari stores with our own reusable containers and mugs. Wet goods such as fish and meat were usually wrapped in used paper or banana leaves," Break Free From Plastic Philippines national coordinator Rei Panaligan said.

"With this, we want to encourage again our businesses and retailers to adopt alternative delivery systems by putting refilling stations and encouraging customers to bring their own reusable bags and containers. Moreover, this should be part of a better normal way forward in a post-COVID scenario wherein alternative delivery systems and refill stations are part of the plan. As shown by the latest statements of scientists worldwide, reusable is still safe to be used during this pandemic," he added.

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Use of plastic sachets a concern for environmental groups

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Environmental groups have expressed a growing concern for single-use plastics, specifically sachets, due to the affordability and convenience they give to Filipino consumers. A new report, titled "Sachet Economy: Big Problems in Small Packets," which was released on Tuesday was commissioned by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) using the data from University of Santo Tomas' Research Center for Social Sciences and Education to look into Filipinos' sachet consumption habits.

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Consumer behavior with regards to sachets

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Consumer behavior with regards to sachets

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Sachets have become a strategic marketing initiative of MNCs for developing countries such as the Philippines. Low income households tend to purchase sachets due to its affordability.

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One of the main things being done by local NGOs is the creation of reusable products to avoid the purchase of single-use plastic. This can be seen most frequently in the form of straws. Large companies such as Starbucks and Serenitea have recently started the promotion of bamboo or paper straws and make the purchase of reusable straws convenient for its customers. Moreover, NGOs such as the Bamboo Company bring this a step further by creating plantable toothbrushes and the like in order to eliminate plastic waste and promote tree-planting as well