Plastic waste has become a serious threat in Southeast Asia because of its adverse environmental, health, and economic impacts. Single-use plastics (SUPs) are a major concern in countries such as the Philippines due to SUPs' extensive use and significant production, which has resulted from economic growth, increasing availability, and consumers' desire for convenience. In 2019, Filipinos used more than 163 million plastic sachets, 48 million shopping bags, and 45 million thin-film bags (GAIA 2019). Of the estimated 1.7 million metric tons (MTs) of post-consumer plastic waste generated in the Philippines every year, 33 percent is deposited in landfills and dumpsites, and 35 percent is discarded on open land. A significant amount leaks into waterways and the ocean (WWF Philippines, Cyclos GmbH, and AMH Philippines 2020). The government of the Philippines has adopted several important measures to combat the negative impacts of mismanaged plastic waste. The principal law governing plastic waste management is the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (Republic Act No. 9003), which is supplemented by the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028
the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022 (Republic Act 11898)
and the ordinances passed by at least 489 of the country's 1,634 local government units (LGUs) to regulate the use of plastic bags and expanded polystyrene. In addition to these legal instruments, the government developed the National Plan of Action for the Prevention, Reduction, and Management of Marine Litter (NPOA-ML), which has the goal of achieving Zero Waste to Philippine Waters by 2040. However, despite these strong measures, plastic waste pollution continues to be a serious problem across the Philippines. The World Bank, in response to a request from the government of the Philippines, developed this Roadmap to pave the way for attaining the goal of Zero Plastic Waste Pollution by 2040.