THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it supports the absorption of waste collectors by the formal waste management industry.
The DENR said in a statement that informal collectors can thereby access welfare benefits, boosting their economic opportunities.
It said while Republic Act 9003 provides the legal framework for solid waste management, it does not yet establish clear protections or governance structures for the informal waste sector.
“The informal waste workers remain excluded from the solid waste management value chain, yet their work is indispensable and forms the very backbone of a supply chain that advances environmental sustainability,” Environment Secretary Raphael P. M. Lotilla said.
“Faced with the growing weight of plastic pollution, we must build stronger partnerships that turn our environmental goals into tangible results that benefit all sectors, protect all ecosystems, and uplift all communities,” he added.
Informal waste workers include waste reclaimers, itinerant waste buyers, and small junk shop operators who recover and recycle significant amounts of waste materials, which help reduce the dependency on landfills.
According to the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), informal waste workers operate without workplace safety protections, stable incomes, or access to social services.
“Exposure to hazardous materials puts them at risk of respiratory illnesses, infections, and injuries,” it added.
The National Solid Waste Management Commission requires local government units to integrate programs supporting informal waste workers into their 10-year solid waste management plans to ensure institutional recognition and access to essential services.
In 2024, the EMB briefed about 200 informal waste workers in the National Capital Region, Region III, and Region IV-A on their role in the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022 and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, particularly in helping producers achieve recycling targets under the EPR system.
This year, the EMB will provide grants for weighing scales to 50 junk shops in Quezon City to support waste recovery and recycling, and connect workers to larger markets and enterprises where they can support producers seeking to comply with the EPR Act. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza