The Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) is urging the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to issue a department administrative order (DAO) implementing the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme on used lead acid batteries (ULABs) and other hazardous wastes, as mandated by the EPR Act of 2022.
FPI chairman Jesus Arranza told reporters in a media roundtable discussion in Quezon City yesterday the group submitted its position paper to the DENR on Wednesday where it noted EPR is important to ULABs since recycling of these hazardous wastes requires advanced technical know-how and special facilities.
Arranza said there are but a few accredited private recyclers capable to dispose ULABs properly.
The EPR Act requires businesses to conduct proper waste management of plastic packaging products such as sachets, rigid plastic packaging products, plastic bags and polystyrene.
“We believe compared to ordinary waste types like plastics currently covered by the EPR (and its) implementing rules, ULABs should be treated with more urgency because of their immediate harmful effects on the environment and the people,” said Arranza.
FPI wants the DENR to issue a DAO that will regulate entities engaged in the production, importation and sale of lead acid batteries, with the end view of promoting the proper recovery and recycling of ULABs that are considered hazardous wastes, consistent with existing laws such as the EPR Act, the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990 and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
Arranza said in his letter to the DENR using such laws, the government and the private sector will be able to jointly curtail the harmful effects to the environment and the communities of the unregulated recycling of ULABs currently happening in different parts of the country.
FPI also said since ULABs are classified as hazardous wastes, the DENR is mandated by to come up with implementing rules and regulations that will operationalize the EPR on ULABs.
“Simply put, we are calling on the DENR to strictly enforce the proper collection and recycling of ULABs by making sure entities engaged in the production, importation and sale of brand new lead acid batteries will not be able to market their products in the country unless they have satisfactorily provent they have collected their ULABs and channeled them to accredited recyclers,” Arranza said.
FPI said the government must compel producers and importers of lead acid batteries to collect the used batteries that they’ve sold and transport them to accredited recyclers, consistent with the
EPR concept.
“As much as possible, we are pushing for one to one. This means that, as an example, an entity that managed to collect 1,000 ULABs should only be allowed to sell 1,000 brand new batteries as well. We are open, however, to a phased implementation, beginning at 20 percent in the first year, 50 percent in the second year and 80 percent in the third year,” Arranza said.
FPI said the proposal will solve the proliferation of illegal lead smelters and ULAB recyclers that are now operating mostly in Pampanga, Valenzuela, Tarlac and Cavite, among other areas in the country.
