Filipiny toną w plastiku

VALENZUELA, METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES - SEPTEMBER 30: A motorcyclist drives past a steer in Valenzuela, dubbed as the 'Plastic City', in Valenzuela, Metro Manila, the Philippines, on 30 September, 2024. In the highly urbanised city of Valenzuela, locals have been victimised by plastic wastes generated locally. As a hub for nearly hundreds of junk shops and 100 plastic recycling plants, they have been contributing to the worsening air pollution in the vicinity as they process parts of the astonishing 2.7 million tons of plastic wastes generated in the Southeast Asian country each year, which takes up about 20 percent of the total waste annually in the Philippines, and an enormous amount of them would end up in ocean, according to the World Bank. Workers at a recycling business told Anadolu/ABACAPRESS.COM Agency that every week they have to deal with 15-20 tons of garbage, which includes non-recyclable items, sharp objects, electronic components and hazardous materials, making their job so much harder and more dangerous. These are the consequences of the country's deficiency in implementing sustainable plastic consumption and production policies as well as comprehensive solid waste management infrastructure. In response to the worrying impacts on the environment and people’s health, however, the authorities in late 2023 have passed a legal framework called 'Extended Producer Responsibility' (EPR), which requires mandatory EPR for businesses with assets worth over ₱100 million, in order to combat plastic pollution much further. Meanwhile, NGOs and government agencies have also been promoting the idea of Corcular Economy, which is about optimising resource use and minimising waste through recycling, reusing, and repurposing. Daniel Ceng / Anadolu/ABACAPRESS.COM