MANILA — As more local governments move to restrict single-use plastics, environmental advocates are warning that simply replacing plastic with another disposable material may not be enough to address the country’s plastic pollution crisis.
The EcoWaste Coalition raised the concern Friday as it wrapped up its month-long Plastic-Free July campaign with various displays and booths aimed at demonstrating how Filipinos can change their consumption habits.
Under its “Walang Plastikan, Walang Iwanan!” campaign, the group is calling for reduced plastic consumption, stronger producer and government accountability, and wider adoption of reuse and zero-waste practices.
Kweyn Tagaduar, an EcoWaste Coalition campaigner for reuse, said the festival was meant to show that reducing plastic use does not necessarily require expensive alternatives.
“Although kasalukuyan marami po tayong mga problema sa krisis po sa plastic, pero dito po pinapakita natin kung ano nga ba iyong mga basic solutions para po at least ma-adapt at maibalik po natin sa isipan ng mga tao na ang plastic-free ay hindi naman kailangan wala nang plastic. Pero dito pinapakita na posible na magkaroon ng mga solusyon na malapit po at accessible sa communities po," Tagaduar explained.
The booths featured refill stations, reusable products, and items made through recycling and upcycling, including initiatives from Sabon Express, Mother Earth Foundation, and Craftcha.
But Tagaduar said alternatives must be assessed not only for what material they are made of, but also for whether they actually reduce disposable consumption.
“Mahirap talaga na hindi accessible iyong mga alternative products na talagang mag-iiwas sa paggamit ng plastic," Tagaduar said.
“And one biggest challenge talaga ay hindi affordable iyong mga alternative solutions na ito. Kaya pinapakita natin dito ngayon iyong mga best solutions na hindi naman kailangan expensive iyong mga products," she added.
BEYOND WHAT WE THROW AWAY
The scale of plastic consumption illustrates why the problem cannot be addressed through consumer behavior alone.
A 2026 World Bank impact report estimates that the Philippines generates about 1.7 million metric tons of post-consumer plastic waste every year, while more than 0.3 million metric tons leak into the ocean annually. It also cites daily consumption of nearly 164 million plastic sachets, 48 million shopping bags and 45 million thin-film bags.
The World Bank has also identified the country’s dependence on single-use packaging, particularly multilayer sachets and pouches, as a major challenge. Such flexible, multi-material packaging is difficult to collect and recycle at commercial scale.
That makes the Philippines’ “sachet economy” more than a matter of individual consumer choice. For many households, buying products in small quantities is tied to affordability.
Tagaduar said responsibility should therefore also fall on companies producing and placing plastic packaging on the market.
“Unang-una sa lahat, hindi po dapat maging burden sa mga tao at sa mga consumers itong paggamit ng plastic. Although it is really available, very convenient, hindi po dahil ito ay mabilis bilhin. Dahil dapat ang sumasalon ng problema nito," she explained.
Under the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022, or Republic Act No. 11898, covered enterprises are required to reduce and recover plastic packaging waste for reuse, recycling, treatment or proper ecological disposal.
The mandated recovery target rises to 60 percent in 2026 and reaches 80 percent from 2028 onward.
The World Bank says the implementation of the EPR helped recover or divert 163,000 metric tons of post-consumer plastic packaging waste from 2023 to 2024, although systemic challenges remain.
FIXING THE SYSTEM, NOT JUST BLAMING CONSUMERS
EcoWaste Coalition also wants stronger implementation of Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, particularly at the local level.
The law provides for the segregation, recovery, and proper waste management, including Materials Recovery Facilities or MRFs. Tagaduar said weak implementation contributes to plastic leakage.
“Malaking demand for the Eco-Waste Coalition na talagang i-implement ng maayos ang Republic Act 9003 or Ecological Solid Waste Management. So, ngayon kasalukuyan talagang pinipilit niya amend itong ating batas na siyang naglalayo na talagang maayos iyong management," she said.
“Hindi lang iyong basic segregation but at the same time, i-require lahat ng barangay, lahat ng LGUs na magtayo ng kanilang MRF. At syempre iyong ating nakaraang mga landfill incidents from Cebu, Rizal, Davao at Novotas," she added.
What can replace the sachet?
For advocates, the answer is not necessarily another single-use product. Instead, they are promoting reuse and refill systems that allow consumers to continue buying only what they can afford without generating another piece of packaging every time.
“Maganda din sa mga communities ngayon, they are trying to explore on reuse and refill systems. So, sa ating economy, sa reuse economy, tinuturo din po natin na hindi po kailangan talaga mag-subscribe sa mga mahal or expensive na mga products," she said.
The approach also seeks to revive familiar practices of reusing containers, bottles and other durable materials rather than buying and throwing away products repeatedly.
“Dito, kailangan lang i-practice iyong circular economy na umiikot po iyong paggamit at hindi na kailangan bumili pa, paulit-ulit," she said.