DENR to public: Reduce holiday waste

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December 26, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has called on the public to adopt eco-friendly practices as New Year celebrations approach, noting that waste generation typically remains high during the year-end holidays.

“The DENR reminded the public to practice the 5Rs of waste management – refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle – especially during the holidays to minimize waste generation,” the agency said in a statement.

It also reminded local government units of their responsibility to enforce Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

In a recent year-end briefing, the agency reported improvements in solid waste management nationwide and cited clearer accountability among stakeholders. It said coordination with LGUs and partner agencies would continue to strengthen compliance with environmental laws.

The DENR also reported progress under the Extended Producer Responsibility Act or Republic Act No. 11898.

“As of October 2025, compliance reports from obligated enterprises showed that over 120 million kilograms of rigid plastics and 124 million kilograms of flexible plastics were diverted during the 2024 compliance period,” it said, noting that recovery and diversion levels have climbed to 56.12 percent, beyond the mandated 40 percent benchmark.

The agency said individual actions, including reducing food waste and limiting single-use plastics, remain key to minimizing environmental impact during year-end celebrations.