Recently, more than 50 petitioners from the youth, fishermen and waste management sectors filed a lawsuit against Philippine government officials for alleged inaction in issuing a list of non-environmentally acceptable products (NEAP).
Four months ago, the groups had said they intended to file charges against the National Solid Waste Management Council (NSWMC) and other government agencies for taking too long to prepare lists of products and packaging deemed harmful to the environment.
Earlier this year, the American Association for the Advancement of Science published a study showing that 28 percent of the rivers causing global plastic pollution are in the Philippines, and that the Pasig River is "the world's most polluted river for plastic waste.
In addition, 63,000 tons of plastic enter the ocean from the Pasig River each year.
Under the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 or Republic Act 9003, NSWMC must prepare a list of non-environmentally acceptable materials within one year of the law's implementation and provide annual updates.
"Because of their refusal, respondents have allowed millions of tons of plastic waste to be released unabated into every nook and cranny of the Philippine archipelago. This in turn has exposed countless humans and wildlife to thousands of years of environmental hazards," the petitioners said in their lawsuit.
Oceana said the petitioner filed the case with the Supreme Court on Wednesday morning.
Gloria Estenzo Ramos, vice president of Oceana, said in a statement, "Plastic not only affects our environment, it leads to a host of concerns that will ultimately threaten our very existence as inhabitants of this planet."
"It puts our food security, livelihoods and health at risk. The frustrating thing is that these problems could have been avoided if NSWMC had fulfilled its responsibilities." She said.
