A study was done by the University of California Sta Barbara’s Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory on the scale of river plastic waste and offered solutions to stop it at source. One of the findings of the research is that in places where there is a strong informal recycling network, there is less recyclable plastic ending up in rivers. This finding underscores the important role that the informal waste sector plays in solid waste management.
Waste pickers (often called scavengers), pushcart-rolling “bote-dyaryo” collectors, and junkshop operators are the backbone of the Philippines’ informal waste sector. They go unnoticed and unappreciated while doing their quiet yet important work in waste recycling. Long before local governments or private haulers arrive, it’s often the waste picker who has already sorted through household trash, retrieving plastic bottles, scrap metal, cardboard, and other reusable materials. Their contributions to environmental protection and urban cleanliness deserve not just recognition, but real support and policy integration.
Many waste workers sort, collect, and transport materials without access to proper tools, protective gear, or social protection. They face daily risks of exposure to hazardous waste and social stigma. Without government recognition or legal protection, many are excluded from policy discussions on waste management planning.
Now, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) is addressing the issue. In its website, the agency said that it is undertaking activities to formally integrate the sector in the country’s solid waste management. This is through strengthened policy support and targeted training programs to promote social inclusion and provide them with alternative livelihood.
Specifically mentioned was the important role of the informal waste sector in the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022. They can help producers achieve recycling targets under the EPR law. Under the law, large companies are required to manage the entire lifecycle of their plastic packaging, from production to disposal. This includes establishing programs for waste recovery where the informal waste sector can help.
In 2024, the DENR-EMB conducted lectures for some 200 informal waste workers in the National Capital Region and Regions III and IV-A to raise awareness on the EPR law and RA 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. This year, the DENR-EMB will provide grants for weighing scales to 50 junk shops in Quezon City, and more importantly, connect them to larger markets and companies covered by the EPR law. The informal waste workers will also receive training in organizational buildout, business planning and financial literacy to support sustainable livelihoods.
To formalize the sector and provide much-needed support, the National Solid Waste Management Commission issued Resolution No. 1655, Series of 2024 which mandates local government units to integrate programs supporting informal waste workers into their ten-year solid waste management plans, ensuring institutional recognition and access to essential services.
The DENR-EMB’s action on the plight of the informal waste sector ensures that those who contribute to waste recovery and recycling receive the recognition and support they deserve.