Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law Toolkits for the Philippines: Toolkit 1 - The EPR System and Policy Landscape

This toolkit presents detailed guidance on the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022, which institutionalises extended producer responsibility for plastic packaging by amending the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. It sets out the national and global context of plastic pollution, highlighting increasing plastic production, low recycling rates, and significant leakage into the environment. The document explains the legal scope of obliged enterprises, the voluntary participation of micro, small, and medium enterprises, and the establishment and functions of Producer Responsibility Organisations. It defines key concepts, including plastic neutrality, eco-modulation of fees, high recyclability, and sustainable consumption and production. The toolkit outlines mandatory registration, reporting, auditing, and phased recovery targets reaching eighty per cent by 2028. It describes required components of Extended Producer Responsibility programmes, including waste recovery schemes, redesign of packaging, labelling standards, and compliance monitoring. Roles of national agencies, local government units, recyclers, the informal waste sector, civil society, and consumers are specified. The document also addresses investment in infrastructure, research and development, data management systems, and potential expansion of responsibility to other waste streams, providing an integrated policy and operational framework for implementation.