#MINDANAO

It is often said that behavior builds culture. As earth month is upon us, it may be appropriate to note our behavior towards the environment, in the way we manage our wastes in particular.
In my many road trips, I often stop at fast food restaurants for a cup of coffee or a meal. I notice that very few return their food trays when done. Many simply leave soiled dishes, even disposable dinnerware on the table rather than bringing them to the designated places or refuse bins.
Another behavior we need to change is how we tend to collect plastic bags. I believe it is time to refuse additional plastic packaging when buying snacks and souvenirs. This will reduce the volume of single use plastic that finds its way to clog waterways and pollute seas, damaging the livelihoods of those fishing in the waters, and hurting the beauty of our island destinations for which millions derive livelihoods in the tourism sector. Note how many local governments have enforced this ban over the years, and how a growing number of LGUs are considering a ban as well. Likewise, the bandwagon against the use of single use plastic has begun to gain more ground especially among young people.
When done by a greater number of people, reduced plastic use will result in cleaner spaces, reduced waste and an even lower demand for fossil fuel-based packaging which is what single use plastics are.
There is a new law in 2022, known as the Extended Producer Responsibility Act or Republic Act 11898. This law amends certain sections of the National Solid Waste Management Act or RA 9003 and requires a greater responsibility from companies that produce a large volume of plastic wastes to find ways to reduce their plastic contribution by encouraging recovery of the plastic waste, recycling these, among other approaches. This law lays the foundation of the circular economy, where waste is reduced by greater recycling.
Even as this new law takes effect, we will still need to reduce our plastic use at a personal or household level, or encourage more biodegradable packaging.
With this, there is a need for better packaging technology that can reduce our dependence on imported plastics. Perhaps our regional innovation hubs under the Innovation Act of 2018 can figure out new ways of packaging our products using locally available raw materials.
This is where a good collaboration between our academic institutions, particularly government-funded state universities, and professional groups like the Philippine Institute of Chemical Engineers can work. It is a project that will greatly benefit our local producers.
Final products can be evaluated and certified at any of the DOSTs food safety laboratories in the regions. This is a beautiful collaboration that deserves our collective support.
With these laws and efforts, there is hope that as the years pass, our dependence, and love affair with single use plastics will fade.