DENR demands answers from 155 firms over plastic recovery failures

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has directed 155 companies to explain their failure to meet plastic recovery and recycling requirements mandated under Republic Act No. 11898, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law, Malacañang announced Thursday.

Palace press officer Claire Castro confirmed that the DENR issued show-cause letters to the firms for allegedly failing to fulfill their obligations under the groundbreaking legislation. The agency is intensifying its monitoring of companies covered under the EPR law, which requires producers and importers to take responsibility for managing the end-of-life disposal of their plastic products.

The show-cause orders require the companies to provide written explanations for their non-compliance and propose corrective actions within a specified period. The DENR has signaled its determination to enforce the EPR law, which took effect in 2022 and represents a major shift in how the Philippines addresses its plastic waste crisis.

The action reflects growing pressure on businesses to adopt circular economy practices and reduce plastic pollution. Companies that fail to satisfactorily respond to the show-cause letters face potential penalties under the law.