DTI Partners with PCX to Adopt More Sustainable Practices on Plastic Use

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX) virtually signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to collaborate in achieving the goal of diverting post-consumer plastic from landfills and oceans through responsible collection and processing. The virtual signing was held last 27 August 2021.

The signing of the MOA was led by DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez and PCX Founder and Chairperson Nanette Medved-Po. Secretary Lopez said that “this agreement with PCX will encourage our business sector to take responsibility for the plastic waste that their products generate and also reduce their own carbon footprint and lessen the damaging impact of plastic waste on the environment. On the part of the consumer sector, this will mold the consistent practice of ethical and sustainable consumption, and the responsible use and disposal of plastics. In the end, these are all part of the circular economy.”

Plastic Credit Exchange is a non-profit plastic credit platform partnering with sustainability-conscious businesses around the world to responsibly offset their plastic footprint through a wide ecosystem of partners. PCX Founder and Chairperson Nanette Medved-Po shared that “DTI has always been open to ideas on how to address the plastic pollution crisis. The PCX believes that this global problem will require a solution set that will involve all stakeholders, especially the government. So today, we formally join hands with DTI in order to achieve our common goal to ensure that no plastic wind up in nature but find its way back into the circular economy.”

Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Undersecretary Atty. Ruth B. Castelo also shared that since 2018, the CPG has been promoting sustainable consumption in the Philippines in response to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12) Ensuring Sustainable Consumption and Production. Undersecretary Castelo hopes that the DTI-PCX MOA will address business and consumer concerns on Sustainable Consumption and Production. This collaboration will also help communities dispose of plastic waste responsibly and inspire consumers to adopt sustainable practices, encourage consumers to nominate drop-off points where they can drop their plastic waste off, and identify manufacturers and companies that generate heavy plastic waste to participate in the PCX program.

CPG Assistant Secretary Atty. Ann Claire C. Cabochan said during the opening remarks that “the Department is optimistic that the partnership will help inspire the public to develop more sustainable practices on plastic use and disposal through a market-based plastic credit mechanism.”