Societal cost of plastics produced in 2019 found to be US$ 3.7 trillion; nearly 10 times the 2019 GDP of the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Societal cost of plastics produced in 2019 found to be US$ 3.7 trillion; nearly 10 times the 2019 GDP of the Philippines

The lifetime cost to society, the environment and the economy of plastics produced in 2019 alone has been revealed at US$3.7 trillion,¹ according to the “Cost of Plastics” report published by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in September 2021.

“The gigantic cost of plastics on society, environment, and the economy is hard to comprehend even if we imagine it as being nearly 10 times the total GDP of the Philippines in 2019,” Atty. Ina Guingona, WWF-Philippines’ No Plastics in Nature Policy Officer said.

(“Ang mala-higanteng gastos ng plastik sa lipunan, kalikasan, at ekonomiya ay mahirap maintindihan kahit pa isipin ito na parang sampung beses mas malaki sa GDP ng Pilipinas.”)

“Plastic pollution is more than just a littering problem and it has real, tangible, and as the report has shown, quantifiable cost to our society. And for countries like the Philippines, this is not an expense that we can afford to have,” she added.

(“Higit pa na problema sa pagtatapon ang plastic pollution dahil ito ay mga totoo at nasusukat na gastos sa lipunan base sa report. Para sa mga maliliit na bansa tulad ng Pilipinas, ito ay gastos na hindi natin kaya bayaran.”)

The biggest portion of the cost indicated in the report is marine plastic pollution estimated at US$ 3.1 trillion. Greenhouse gas emissions from across the plastic lifecycle amounts to more than US$ 171 billion, while the management of plastic waste costs more than US$ 32 billion, to collect, sort, dispose and recycle the huge quantities of plastic waste generated in 2019.

“Plastic takes hundreds to thousands of years to fully degrade and as it degrades, it breaks down into smaller and smaller particles making it hard to recover and remove plastic from the environment,” the report said.

“Plastic will therefore remain in the environment to incur further costs. It is estimated that the plastic produced in 2019 that becomes marine plastic pollution will incur a cost of US$ 3.1 trillion (+/-US$1 trillion) over its lifetime,” it added.

Unless action is taken, these costs are set to double for the plastics produced in 2040 at US$7.1 trillion², equivalent to 85% of global spending on health in 2018 and greater than the GDP of Germany, Canada, and Australia in 2019 combined. 

The report demonstrates that governments and citizens are unknowingly subsiding a plastic system that is imposing countless negative impacts on people and the environment.

The report “Plastics: The cost to society, environment and the economy” highlights how fragmented regulatory approaches, misplaced incentives as well as lack of coordinated technical resources, financial support and consistent data on plastic leakage are currently costing us the Earth. 

Failure to understand and remediate the real costs of plastic will cost even more in the future, as under a business as usual scenario it is estimated that by 2040 there will be a doubling of plastic production and a tripling of plastic pollution entering the ocean to 29 million tonnes, increasing the total stock of plastic in the ocean to 600 million tonnes. 

To address this crisis on a systemic level and reduce the cost that plastic imposes on society, WWF is calling on governments to start the negotiation of a legally binding global treaty on marine plastic pollution at the fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly in February 2022.  

The new figures, released September 6, Monday as discussions take place at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, highlight the importance of a global solution to tackle the plastic pollution crisis in response to escalating concern about a lack of global coordination in plastic action. 

The number of governments expressing their strong support for the establishment of a new global agreement to address plastic pollution  has reached nearly 120, a majority of the UN Member States, following the first ever Global Ministerial Meeting on Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution which took place last Sept 1-2, 2021.

More than 20 global financial institutions have already announced their support for a global treaty that aims to address plastic pollution including Achmea Investment Management, Aviva Investors, BMO Global Asset Management, BNP Paribas Asset Management, Fidelity International, and the international business of Federated Hermes. 

Rogier Krens, Chief Investment Officer of Achmea Investment Management in the Netherlands said: “We need better global policy to solve the plastic pollution crisis. As signatories of the business manifesto, we want to send a strong signal to global policymakers that adequate regulation is needed to set a global and reliable regulatory level playing field. This is crucial to enable leading industries to develop and market alternatives to fossil fuel based plastics and end plastic pollution.” 

The finance organizations join over 50 other businesses that have endorsed the call for a global treaty on marine plastic pollution and more than two million people have signed a petition adding to the increasing chorus of concern about the spiraling plastic pollution crisis causing environmental and societal harm.

Marco Lambertini, Director General of WWF International said: “This is the first time we have seen such a clear assessment of some of the unaccounted costs being imposed by plastic pollution on society and they are a burden that is too high to bear - both for people and the environment.”

“Tragically, the plastic pollution crisis is showing no signs of slowing down, but the commitment to tackle it has reached an unprecedented level. We need a UN treaty on plastic pollution that unites governments, companies and consumers around clear targets for reduction, collection, recycling and sustainable alternatives to stop plastic leakage into the environment by 2030,” he added.

In the Philippines, WWF is calling for the enactment of House Bill 9147 or the Single-use Plastic Products Regulation Act which was passed at the House of Representatives on third reading last July 28, 2021.

The bill includes the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme that holds plastic producers accountable for the plastic packaging they put into the market throughout the whole life cycle of the product. You can read more about it here.

Granular lockdowns separately implemented by LGUs will be troublesome

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Metro Manila to be under GCQ from Sept 8 to 30, however, more guidelines will be released as it appears to be a different kind of GCQ.

The IATF is finalizing the details of the planned implementation of granular lockdowns in the national capital region, which could start by Wednesday. 

The new strategy of imposing granular lockdowns will “literally” be a “complete lockdown” in small areas in a bid to prevent the spread of infection without disrupting business operations, Malacañang said.  

30,000 daily cases by next week. Government response is to open borders and experiment with granular lockdowns.

OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David expressed concern that the implementation of granular lockdowns in Metro Manila may not be effective to curb the latest COVID-19 surge in the region.

Our healthcare situation is deteriorating rapidly and yet the decision of government is GCQ with granular lockdowns.

BUSINESS OVER HEALTH is this government's mantra.

Go on #VoluntaryECQ if you can. Matira na ang matibay. 

It is actually wrong to say that granular lockdowns will be "piloted" at NCR, as what the Palace is saying. We had localized lockdowns last year. And continue to have now. The question is how different will today's granular lockdowns are to those.

A difference of one or two things would not make these granular lockdowns new though. So long as the point remains the same-- which is to lock down one neighborhood or barangay or city, etc-- then you can say that nothing rely changed and lockdowns have been ineffective.

The story can even go as far as saying that gov't is easing lockdown while case numbers are up-- a departure from what they say is scientific basis governing lockdowns that put primacy on case numbers more than anything. Which means asking what is basis for easing now.

A simple compare and contrast to how lockdown decisions were made during various peaks (and their declines) would show that basis for this easing are not case numbers. Which means the story can even go as far as saying where the gov't pandemic strategy is going from here.

As what my professor has said: "An assertion does not make a fact."

Sobrang hilaw nitong granular lockdown. 

There is still no defined distinction, and, worse, protocols will only be released A DAY before the implementation! 

Terms will most likely be vague enough to make the LGUs confused.

Granular lockdowns could be effective if 

1) there's efficient detection (max 3 days) which includes enough testing & effective contact tracing; 

2) enough support while being isolated; 

3) covid sheriffs strictly but humanely implement rules; 

4) officials will be good role models;

5) vaccination is being intensified; 

6) healthcare system is being expanded; 

7) good coordination among LGUs and with national agencies; 

8) continued education and promotion of good health practices; 

9) preparing & anticipating for post-lockdown scenarios (proactive not reactive).

Roque says one feature of the new granular lockdown system is an authorized person outside of residence (APOR) can leave their barangay or street under lockdown, but they can't go back until after lockdown is lifted.

Roque says all meals for households in areas to be placed under the new type of granular lockdown will be shouldered by the government.

MMDA chief Abalos asked for national government's help in sharing cost of implementing granular lockdowns.

Our concern is where will APOR employee/s stay if the compound, street, barangay is locked down. We saw information that they can't go in and out of the area once closed.

So problema pa nung APOR if di kaya ishoulder ng employer yung housing. No work no, pay ang mangyayari sa kanila niyan. Paano yung mga bayarin nila if di sila makakawork?

Saan daw mag-stay yung APOR habang lockdown?

Mag-quarantine ba yung APOR before going back after ma-lift yung lockdown? Kasi yung naka-lockdown naka-quarantine eh paano kung asymptomatic pala yung APOR nung nakauwi na? If yes to quarantine, where?

Unfortunately when the trade secretary suggested and announced this plan, I knew will be a shit show. Since day 1, all plans were trial and error. Experts should step up and take the lead. Remove all the czar and place more competent and knowledgeable pips.

Using NCR as a pilot area for granular lockdown is recipe for disaster!

Pilot areas must be small enough to be manageable. We have how many LGUs and mayors who may implement this differently?

As per DILG's advise, LGUs may implement any type of quarantine classification they want starting September 8.

Under this system, different barangays might have different alert levels depending on infection status to be determined by DOH.

Under Alert Level 1, all industries will be open, Alert Level 2 (50% capacity), Alert Level 3 (30% capacity, and Alert Level 4 (closed) 

However, Abalos says this system is still being finetuned by the LGUs and the working committees and is still subject for the approval of the President.

Asked if they can announce the new quarantine system before MECQ ends tomorrow, he said he's quite optimistic. 

A Pilot area must ensure the LEAST DAMAGE if things go wrong. NCR is the seat of biz.

LGUs with lower budgets and struggling systems are being left alone to deal with all of this.

Remember that when hospitals in the city will be full and fall, smaller municipalities rely on them.

And where is the national government during all of these? Are they going to just wait on the outcome?

How donwe expect granular lockdowns to work when we have the same team of policy makers and implementers?

It really won’t because of these so-called pandemic experts that should not be in that position anyway. May iba nga inutusan lang bumili ng bakuna biglang naging vaccine expert na.

Health experts in the country are one in saying that the implementation of granular lockdowns in Metro Manila starting Sept. 8 is not enough to significantly decrease COVID-19 cases in the region. 

Health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon says the government “should not experiment during this crisis, especially if the numbers are scary to start with”.

Dr Leachon: I don’t know how the gov’t can pull off mas laxed when we were not able to do it successfully in the past when quarantine classification was more rigid. 

And we are not doing well in mitigation measures that would make plan of action effective. 

We need more free testings and More contact tracings = if we would implement granular lockdowns. 

Take note we have very high positivity rate. 

This might spur more transmissions of the delta variant !

Granular lockdowns must be complemented by other interventions, such as randomized mass testing, more aggressive contact tracing, and early detection and isolation efforts to effectively curb the spread of the virus.

But the voices and opinion of health care experts do not matter with this administration. Mas pinaniniwalaan ngayon ang mga kakayahan ng mga sundalo. Ginagawa pang vaccine czar. Kaya naman nganga tayo except those recycled retired generals and trapos.

If there are serial failures from one strategy to another, maybe it’s not the strategy. Maybe it’s the people in-charge of thinking all these who should be replaced.

The national government has just proposed a non-pandemic budget with no allocation for vaccines and measly adjustments for local health systems.

But hey we got Build Build Build, don't we? hahahaha!!!

PETA Offers New Cycle of Online Workshops

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

After a successful streaming of its musical Rak of Aegis, the 54-year old theater company, Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), delivers its unique brand of theater training to your doorsteps through its upcoming cycle of online workshops from September to October 2021.
Aimed at providing an avenue for learning and creative expression for starters and professionals, PETA's exclusive online workshops are tailored to meet the demands of adults who are looking for personal artistic development in between their busy work-from-home schedules.

Apart from having a chance to grow artistically, there’s a few other reasons why joining a PETA workshop is a worthwhile investment for aspiring artists.

1) Be trained by practicing artists and teachers. PETA’s online workshops provide access to some of the company’s finest artist-teachers, who have gone through an intensive teacher training program. This faculty training ensures that participants will experience PETA’s signature curriculum from well-rounded teachers who have rich theater practice and excellent teaching abilities. Teachers for the upcoming workshop cycles include Meann Espinosa and Kiks Baento for Acting for Beginners, Jeff Hernandez and Zoe Damag for Creative Musical Theater, Phil Noble and Ian Segarra for Acting for Screen, and J-Mee Katanyag for Writing for Performance.

2) It encourages collaboration and connection in a safe setting. Online theater classes are a great way to collaborate, connect and engage with other artists remotely. It provides a unique opportunity to experience a kind of community that we don’t have enough of, especially during these extraordinary times.

3) It’s a step towards realizing a dream. A theater workshop is almost always the first step to a creative career in the performing arts. Now is the perfect time for aspiring artists to hone a skill or try something that they have always wanted to. Participants of PETA’s online workshops can finally kickstart their writing journey, learn the ropes of acting for camera, hone their performance and singing skills, and flex their acting muscles.

4) It redefines performance and creative spaces. Without a physical space that defines where art is made, now any place can transform into a creative hub. Participants don’t need the structure of a classroom or the stage in a theater to make art —it can now happen wherever and whenever.

5) It’s a way to remind yourself that you are not alone. Studies have shown that involvement in the arts can decrease anxiety and loneliness, increased sense of value and purpose, and other emotional benefits. Through theater, not only are we sharing a part of ourselves through creative expression, it also allows us to have a shared experience and valuable connection with other people.

These are only a few of the many reasons why one should be involved in the arts. For interested applicants, PETA's virtual doors are now open for professionals, or to any serious beginner or aspiring artist.

Know more about PETA’s courses here: bit.ly/PETAWorkshopOnline or contact Betita Sarmiento at 0929-891-9538, betitasarmiento@petatheater.com.