Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Workers sort plastic waste along the street in Manila on April 22, 2024. Earth Day's theme, 'Planet vs. Plastics,' calls for widespread awareness on the health risk of plastics, rapidly phase out all single use plastics, and urgently push for a strong United Nations treaty on plastic pollution. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Plastics vs Planet

Jekki Pascual

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173744462622420240422-plastics-earth-day-MD-4938.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Workers sort plastic waste along the street in Manila on April 22, 2024. Earth Day&#x27;s theme, &#x27;Planet vs. Plastics,&#x27; calls for widespread awareness on the health risk of plastics, rapidly phase out all single use plastics, and urgently push for a strong United Nations treaty on plastic pollution. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Workers sort plastic waste along the street in Manila on April 22, 2024. Earth Day&#x27;s theme, &#x27;Planet vs. Plastics,&#x27; calls for widespread awareness on the health risk of plastics, rapidly phase out all single use plastics, and urgently push for a strong United Nations treaty on plastic pollution. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Government agencies and the private sector are looking for alternative packaging to plastic to reduce environmental wastes and to prevent possible sudden price increases due to some imported raw materials. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2024/11/22/-moment-of-truth-for-world-first-plastic-pollution-treaty-1137">&#x27;Moment of truth&#x27; for world-first plastic pollution treaty</a></div><p>At the press conference Tuesday for the upcoming ProPak Philippines trade event, officials from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said they are looking at different ways to improve packaging in the country and that includes pushing for sustainable packaging.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/2/marcos-urged-to-stop-unhampered-plastic-production-following-ncr-floods-814">Marcos urged to stop &#x27;unhampered plastic production&#x27; following NCR floods</a></div><p>“We are working on [turning] agro-industrial waste into a packaging alternative — or the farm waste, we can convert into a packaging alternative. And also, we collaborate with international laboratories to ensure that the methods we use is complying with international standards,” said Dr. Angel Basbasan, Jr., DOST Science Research Specialist for the Packaging Technology Division.</p><p>The Design Center of the Philippines (DCP), an attached agency of DTI, is helping create new packaging designs that are sustainable and functional. It is also pushing for green alternatives for packaging. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/31/to-tackle-plastic-scourge-philippines-makes-companies-pay-1252">To tackle plastic scourge, Philippines makes companies pay</a></div><p>“Magamit natin ang agricultural wastes and other wastes dito sa Philippines para mapalitan na so that we can finally replace plastic especially sa packaging natin,” said Lucky Lopez, Deputy Executive Director of DCP.</p><p>The Asia Packaging Federation agrees with the idea to push for sustainable packaging. </p><p>Its president Dr. Joseph Jocson, who is also a commissioner of the National Solid Waste Management Commission, said he expects the packaging industry in the country to grow as the economy expands. </p><p>And this also means, demand will increase for packaging materials like paper, tin cans, and most importantly plastic. </p><p>“Packaging is very important in our life. No product has without packaging. Everything is packaged,” Jocson said.</p><div><strong>COST OF ALTERNATIVES</strong></div><p>He, however, said new policies particularly on single-use plastic tax may have an impact on the industry and this could lead price increases which will primarily affect consumers.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2024/11/30/nations-warn-of-deadlock-at-landmark-plastic-pollution-talks-1829">Nations warn of deadlock at landmark plastic pollution talks</a></div><p>“Definitely there will be an impact on price. When they banned the ‘sando bags’ in supermarkets, paper bags are actually more expensive than plastic bags,” Jocson said. </p><p>Jocson added that the industry is also working on alternatives, but said they need government help, such as more funding for DOST to research on new alternatives. Now, he said, they already have oxy biodegradable plastic as well as plastic from cassava. </p><p>The DOST is also looking at others ways. </p><p>&quot;Our laboratory, packaging laboratory, has started a study about the edible packaging as alternative for sachet of the instant noodle seasoning,&quot; Basbasan said.</p><p>But with alternative and sustainable packaging also comes higher prices. </p><p>DTI admitted that there needs to be a bigger production or bigger scale to lower prices of alternative packaging. The current prices can be afforded by bigger companies, but micro, small and medium enterprises may not be able to absorb such expenses for now.</p><p>“Kahit promote natin yung mga sustainable packaging, ideas or materials, at the end of the day pag nagsisimula ang MSMEs, laging cost, lagi siya nagko-compute,” said DTI Assistant Secretary Grace Baluyan.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/03/10/23/rise-in-ocean-plastic-pollution-unprecedented-since-2005">Rise in ocean plastic pollution &#x27;unprecedented&#x27; since 2005</a></div><p>Government agencies have ongoing studies to use more alternative materials so prices of packaging can also go down. They hope these projects can also be scaled up to help ease prices.</p><p>DTI and other officials also urged the public, including small businesses, to attend the ProPak Philippines trade fair on February 12 to 14, 2025 at the World Trade Center. </p><p>The fair will have 250 exhibitors and it aims to find solutions for consumers and market demands including new sustainable packaging designs.</p><p>ProPak, an annual international processing and packaging trade event, is expected to be attended by 12,000 visitors with foreign pavilions also to be set up so local businesses can also learn from international practices.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gUwd8s5_zOg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The government is pushing for sustainable packaging, but admits it can be costly for now</p>

The government is pushing for sustainable packaging, but admits it can be costly for now

Government, private sector seek sustainable alternative packaging to plastic

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Government, private sector seek sustainable alternative packaging to plastic

Jekki Pascual,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 21, 2025 03:45 PM PHT

Read More:

DTI

DOST

DCP

packaging

plastic

Department of Trade and Industry

Department of Science and Technology

Design Center of the Philippines

sustainability

ANC

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