"We need to design and implement smarter policies and solutions to our garbage woes."
A global campaign to save the planet from what some experts call an existential threat to humanity is in full swing. There is not a day when I don’t encounter at least one article, advertorial or high-profile campaign in TV, cable, or social media raising the alarm on climate change and plastic packaging. The need to be sustainable or to go “green” is now a reality that is influencing legislators and regulators of governments and pressuring enterprises, big and small, to lessen their impact on the environment.
Reacting to reports that rank the Philippine as a top ocean polluter, several lawmakers are proposing a gamut of legislation that mostly seeks the outright banning of single-use plastic or non-biodegradable packaging. As these new policies are being debated, the most targeted brands by environmental groups like Coca-Cola and Unilever are already heavily investing in sustainability programs that combine shifting to recyclable packaging and advocacy campaigns to modify the throw away behavior of consumers.
The message we often hear on plastic packaging to simply “use something else” is not as simple as it sounds. All the anti-plastic campaigns have buried the original motivation to shift from the pre-plastic world of glass, tin can, and paper-based packaging which was ironically about the environment, economics and consumer safety. I am old enough, (over 50 years old) to remember that plastics were the solution to saving the fast denudation of the world’s forests because of the demand for paper products used daily as paper bags and boxes and since the personal computers and the Internet was decades away, paper was the main medium for communication and data storage. Plastics packaging was a revolution and soon became dominant because it drastically reduced costs, used less material, was lightweight, increased shelf life of food products and was more adaptable to various applications compared to glass or metal which increases distribution costs because of its heavier weight and bulk. Further innovations in sachet packaging made consumer products more accessible to the poor masses who could not afford the larger packaging of first-world countries.
So now that the trend to shifting to alternative packaging materials seems to be unstoppable, there should be an equally serious discussion on how shifting back to paper, glass, tin and aluminum will impact all consumers. As the great majority of Filipino consumers are in the D and E side of the economic spectrum, our policy leaders and economic managers must study the real cost impact on our already heavily burdened people.
According to a 2018 report of the American Chemistry Council and accounting form Trucost, the shift to alternative packaging will increase environmental costs five times higher than plastic packaging. Production costs will likewise go up as whole manufacturing and distribution operations will need a invest heavily in new production processes.
As a consumer, more practical questions come to mind. When we totally ditch plastics, how will the grocery stores wrap the fresh meats, vegetables and fish? Without all the shrink wrap packaging of food items, how will the shelf life and sanitary issues be addressed. Does this mean I will need a bigger refrigerator space? How will all these non-plastic alternatives affect my family’s monthly budget?
Instead of banning plastics, some experts support a smarter approach that focuses on more innovation of plastic packaging. Governments should support the development of new technologies that use plants to create biodegradable plastics that disintegrate and break down and may even be used as compost material. Notable is Coca-Cola’s opening to the public of its PlantBottle technology patent so other manufacturing developers can use it. The technology produces 100-percent recyclable packaging and has helped reduce the company’s emissions.
Others suggest making plastic packaging more durable to make them reusable, therefore creating value for a cash deposit then reuse or recycle system like glass bottled drinks.
But all these ideas do not really solve the real problem which is the need to dispose of our garbage responsibly. It’s easy to blame the big manufacturers and shout demands to stop using plastics but this is a deceptively oversimplified and misdirected attack to a complex systemic and behavioral problem that involves every human being on the planet. Focusing on plugging the leaks in the circular ecosystem of all solid waste and a holistic attitude that welcomes practical and viable solutions with the least burden to consumers is the best way to go.
These environmental complexities will be tackled in the upcoming Pilipinas Conference hosted by Stratbase in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship. DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu will deliver the keynote address to the multi-sectoral participants represented by leaders from government, the legislature, presidents and CEOs of private industries, environmental groups and the academe. The speakers and panel discussions will exchange insights and best practices relevant to managing the solid waste and plastic packaging problem in the context of the DENR’s ongoing Manila Bay clean-up project. Hopefully these discussions will provide the right direction in designing and implementing smarter policies and solutions to our garbage woes.
