L’Oreal has announced a commitment to recover, sort and recycle plastic equivalent to 100% of its yearly plastic footprint volume in the Philippines, starting in 2023. This far exceeds the 20% government target for 2023 of 20% stated in the country’s Extended Producer Responsibility Act that passed into law in July 2022. The Group will partner with registered producer responsibility organisation PCX to achieve its goal.
According to a report from the World Bank, the Philippines generates 2.7 million metric tons of plastic waste annually; 20% of its plastic waste is leaked into the ocean.
The EPR Act is an effort to turn the tide. The act specifies recovery targets that start at 20% for 2023, rise to 40% for 2024 and subsequently increase by 10% each year until reaching 80% in 2028.
So-called ‘obliged enterprises’ are responsible for the proper and effective disposal of their product’s packaging in the post-consumer stage by utilising biodegradable materials or improving the recyclability and reusability of waste. All such enterprises are required to establish a comprehensive EPR program, which must include suitable and effective recovery, treatment, recycling or disposal methods for their packaging waste.
The requirements are in line with L’Oréal Groupe’s sustainability commitments under the L'Oréal for the Future programme. Launched in 2020, it sets out the Group’s sustainable development strategy for 2030.
“L’Oréal is committed to promoting a circular economy. Our focus is to create products that reflect this aspiration - from the design to the post-use of our products. To amplify this vision, the Group has committed to ensuring that 100% of the plastics used in L’Oréal’s product packaging will come from recycled or bio-based sources by 2030. As we work hard to achieve this goal, we share our full support and commitment to the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act in the Philippines as an effective way to reduce our impact,” said Yannick Raynaud, country managing director of L’Oréal Group, Philippines. “With plastic pollution being most prevalent in the Philippines, we recognise our crucial role in ensuring that private companies like us become a catalyst for change. Our commitment to going above and beyond the yearly EPR targets serves as an inspiration and challenge to demonstrate our responsibility towards our planet,” she added.
With today’s announcement, L'Oréal will become one of only five companies working with PCX that has pledged to recover and recycle 100% of its yearly plastic waste volume in the Philippines by 2023.
Established in 2019 in the Philippines, PCX is the world’s first fully integrated and blockchain-protected plastic offset programme. It works with brands to help them clean up their plastic waste. Its founder and executive chairperson, Nanette Medved-Po, commented that PCX is ‘pleased that L’Oréal has gone above and beyond requirements to address the plastic pollution challenge in the Philippines with urgency’.