A DAVAO City-based environmental group, Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (Idis), has identified Liwayway Holdings Company Limited as the top contributor to branded waste found during a coastal clean-up and audit in the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos).
The audit, conducted on November 8, 2024, from Purok Cacao to Sabang Cliff, recorded 141 items from Liwayway Holdings, followed by JBC Food Corporation (67 items) and Nestlé (47 items).
Other notable contributors included Philip Morris International (27), Monde M.Y. San Corporation (23), Leslie Corporation (21), Nature’s Spring (19), Coca-Cola and Columbia International Food Products (11 each), and Nutri-Asia Inc. with nine.
Idis also categorized waste types, revealing packaging materials (99 pieces) and sandbags (98) as the most prevalent, along with used clothing (15), fishing gear, and bottled drinks (nine each).
The group emphasized the persistent problem of plastic waste in Igacos, where branded trash is a major pollutant along coastlines. Idis emphasized that this initiative highlights the urgent need for major brands to adopt eco-friendly alternatives and enforce stricter waste management practices.
The brand audit demonstrates the significant impact these household names have on environmental degradation in the area. The group is calling for greater accountability from companies that produce single-use plastics.
“By advocating for sustainable packaging solutions and holding corporations accountable, we can reduce the harmful impacts of plastic waste on our environment and preserve the natural beauty of Igacos for future generations,” Idis stated in a Facebook post on December 9, 2024.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has warned that microplastics may release harmful chemicals into the soil, potentially contaminating groundwater and nearby water sources.
In the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, mandates proper waste segregation, collection, and disposal while promoting sustainable practices in ecological waste management. RGP