DENR, Partners Launch Working Group To Tackle Flexible Plastic Recycling

The National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP), led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, launched the Working Group on Flexible Plastic Waste Recycling to boost the Philippines’ transition to a circular economy.

NPAP Philippines is a locally driven platform uniting government, business, development organizations, and civil society to tackle plastic pollution and transition to a circular economy, with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines serving as its secretariat. NPAP is supported by the World Economic Forum's Global Plastic Action Partnership, with partners including the governments of the United Kingdom and Canada, as well as the Coca-Cola Foundation.

Flexible plastics, a primary component of plastic pollution, remain a critical challenge for the Philippines. The country’s heavy use of flexible plastic packaging — which includes by some estimates 163 million pieces of sachets each day — is linked to the country’s rapid urbanization and large low-income population, according to a World Bank study. The study also revealed that up to USD 890 million worth of recyclable plastic waste is lost to the local economy annually. Plastic waste has a low recycling rate, with waste management infrastructure lacking. Existing recycling centers typically process rigid plastics, which can be exchanged for cash or other incentives. Moreover, food-grade plastic recycling is limited. As a result, plastic waste, particularly flexible plastics, may end up in landfills or the environment.

The working group, co-led by DENR and Nestle Philippines, aims to set the foundation for concrete and collaborative action. During the session, stakeholders set out to explore innovative recycling technologies and infrastructure for flexible plastics, including food-grade plastic recycling, to promote true circularity in the flexible plastics value chain. A key focus will be fostering cross-sector collaboration to drive a full value chain approach that supports a circular economy for flexible plastics.

“The launch of the first Working Group on Flexible Plastic Recycling is a significant step in integrating flexible plastics into the circular economy and enhancing upstream solutions to reduce plastic use. At UNDP, we know that it is critical to bring different sectors together so that we can ensure meaningful collaboration between stakeholders and amplify our impact,” said UNDP Philippines Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran.

“In the face of the overwhelming challenge of plastic waste, it is deeply inspiring to witness the commitment of various actors gathered here today — from government, civil society, businesses, and development organizations. This is an opportunity to find innovative solutions to recycling flexible plastics and reducing plastic waste at source, to create lasting change in our communities. The DENR will continuously work with this group and with various partners at the local level to sustain the momentum built through this convening,” said DENR Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna.

DENR is spearheading a strategic, long-term, and multisectoral effort to reduce plastic waste, working closely with the UNDP and various local partners on several initiatives to achieve this goal. Additionally, DENR has led the country’s mechanism for developing plastic circularity through the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic waste, which became a law in 2022. Mandating proper plastic waste collection and disposal, the law aims to grow circularity through design innovation, reusability, and recycling.

As a precursor to the creation of the Flexible Plastic Recycling working group, the DENR and Nestlé Philippines partnered to organize three pioneering multisectoral forums in the country to identify concerns in implementing the EPR law in 2023.

“Nestlé Philippines is committed, as a top priority, to continue stepping up our initiatives to help achieve plastic circularity. A comprehensive, upstream-downstream approach to flexible plastic waste is important to us, as a food and beverage manufacturer deeply involved in addressing major environmental concerns," said Kais Marzouki, Nestlé Philippines Chairman and CEO.