The ECCP joined the Senate Hearing on Senate Bill No. 1331 (Extended Producers Responsibility Act) chaired by Senate Environment Committee Chair, Senator Cynthia Villar. Highlights of the discussions include the following:

• the inclusion of 'effective waste management' as part of the criteria being considered for recognizing local government units with the Seal of Good Local Governance;
• drafting of a chapter that will cover hospital waste which should be treated and handled differently than other waste products; 
• sharing of food manufacturers' programs and initiatives on plastic neutrality; 
• provision of incentives to plastic producers that exert substantial effort to collecting plastic wastes; and
• On a similar note, Senator Villar requested business groups and concerned industry players to submit data on the amount of plastics being produced from their end as well as the amount of plastics being recovered by their various waste management efforts. 

ECCP Environment and Water Committee Chair presented the Chamber's advocacies on the matter, highlighted the importance of incentives as well as shared opportunities for cooperation (e.g., waste-to-energy, waste-to-value).

Photo credits: Facebook page of Senator Cynthia Villar