WWF Philippines partners with Make Sense and XChange to bring out innovative solutions to combat plastic pollution
May 2020
WWF-Philippines’ Plastic Smart Cities project, together with MakeSense and XChange, identified five startup enterprises that are working to address the plastic problem in the Philippines. The five enterprises are 1. MorPH Bioplastic, 2. Refill on the Road, 3. CLOOP, 4, AtoANI BioPack, and 5. AUDEO. Photograph © MakeSense
The COVID-19 pandemic has shed a light on our reliance on single-use plastics. With whole nations on lockdown, we have seen surges in the use of plastic bags and packaging materials as more and more people turn to take-outs and deliveries for food, groceries, and other perceived essentials. Even then, these plastics may not be safe – a recent study shows that the virus can survive on plastics for as long as three days. As they make their way into our ecosystems, they pose a threat not just to the environment, but to our very lives.
Now more than ever, we need innovative solutions to spare us from the dangers of plastic pollution. That’s where the partnership among World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines, MakeSense, and XChange comes in.
Last May 13, the WWF-Philippines, together with Make Sense and XChange, introduced five social enterprises that have been chosen to enter the MakeSense Academy. Each enterprise, which champions innovative new ways to tackle the plastic problem, will be molded into productive businesses that aim to introduce circular economy back into Philippine markets.
The online event, entitled “Solving the Plastic Waste Crisis Amidst Covid-19”, was part of WWF’s Plastic Smart Cities project, a global movement of cities and tourism destinations that aims to tackle the issue of plastic pollution, with the common vision of no plastics in nature by the year 2030. Over 19,000 viewers tuned in to and participated during the event.
WWF-Philippines National Lead for Plastics Czarina Constantino explains the principle of circularity and the No Plastics in Nature Initiative, as well as the role that innovation plays in addressing the countries’ pollution problems. Photograph © WWF-Philippines
Thirty-five percent (35%) of all plastic waste is leaked into the environment, shared Dr. Maria Antonette Tanchuling, a long-time researcher on solid waste management and microplastics pollution. This was one the findings of WWF’s Study on the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme assessment for plastic packaging waste in the Philippines, a collaborative work among AMH Philippines, Cyclos, and WWF. According to Dr. Tanchuling, the current increase in plastic consumption under the current pandemic will lead to a rise in leakage, meaning more waste entering the environment, which requires a systemic solution.
Circularity is one of the guiding principles of WWF’s vision of No Plastics in Nature by 2030. This global initiative is the proposed solution to the systemic issue posed by plastic pollution. WWF-Philippines National Lead for the No Plastics in Nature Initiative Czarina Constantino shared the work that WWF does to address the country’s plastic problem. The conservation organization, shared Constantino, works with a broad range of stakeholders as it pushes for the sustainable sourcing of plastics, the reduction of unnecessary consumption, and the doubling of global recovery, reuse, and collection of the waste that the country generates. Innovation, she says, is a key driver in arriving at the systemic, comprehensive solution for a plastic-free nature. Through innovation, the very solutions and redesigns that are needed to confront the system gaps in the full plastic life cycle are brought out into the market as pioneering ideas in the push for a cleaner tomorrow.
Save Philippine Seas Executive Director Anna Oposa explains the principles of linear, recycling, and circular economy. A circular economy is key to keeping plastics from leaking into the environment. Photograph © MakeSense
This does not mean that we should eliminate all plastics as they are not inherently bad, said Anna Oposa, Executive Director of Save Philippine Seas. Oposa, a marine conservationist and environmental advocate, pointed out the different uses of plastics, and how they are both useful to and omnipresent in our daily lives. The problem, says Oposa, lies in how we manage and consume plastics, as well as how they are designed, all of which require a rethink of our behavior. What must happen is a transition from the current and wasteful linear economy to one that is circular. In a circular economy, she explains, plastics are made, used, recycled, repurposed, and reused in a constant system where what resources go in, stay in and are sustained, instead of leaking into the environment. Integrating circularity in our lives includes rethinking our consumption as we act to address the plastic pollution problem.
“The Philippines has a great talent capital, and we really need to harness that to generate innovative solutions for plastic pollution. This will definitely be the first batch and we encourage everyone to pitch their ideas to WWF, Make Sense, and XChange. Let us all collaborate to address this plastic crisis,” added Constantino.
The five launched startups include (1) Refill on the Road – a platform for refilling for local businesses; (2) AtoANI BioPack - a biodegradable packaging made of sugarcane waste; (3) CLOOP – community-based upcycling of plastic wastes; (4) AUDEO - a bloqueplas construction company that turns plastic waste into building blocks; and (5) morPH Bioplastic - creating biodegradable packaging materials out of microbe-based polymers.
AMH Philippines Principal Engineer Dr. Maria Antonette Tanchuling, Save Philippine Seas Executive Director Anna Oposa, and WWF-Philippines National Lead for the No Plastics in Nature Initiative Czarina Constantino join MakeSense Plastic Smart Cities Project Lead Sandrine Moubarak and MakeSense Event Moderator Angeli Recella for a group photo. Photograph © WWF-Philippines
The problem of plastic pollution requires fresh new ideas and pioneering solutions in the realms of science, technology, and societal systems if it is ever to be solved. Many minds have set to task on addressing the problem, pushing into the very frontiers of our markets as they imagine a greener, more circular, more sustainable tomorrow. More minds are welcome as we strive to #ChangeTheEnding on the problem of plastic pollution. Contact WWF-Philippines if you have a solution, and we’ll work together to build a future where man and nature thrive.
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Czarina Constantino
National Lead for the No Plastics in Nature Initiative
cconstantino@wwf.org.ph
For media arrangements, please contact:
Ms. Pam Luber
Integrated Communications Manager
pluber@wwf.org.ph
Ms. Chezka Guevarra
Public Relations, Media, and Events Assistant Manager
cguevarra@wwf.org.ph
