In the Philippines, households contribute a significant amount of plastic waste, among which single-use plastic in the form of disposable packaging often come up top. Soft plastics and styrofoam, in particular, are notoriously difficult and costly for recycling. More often than not, these end up being burnt, dumped in our landfills or worse, in our waterways and oceans.
Filipinos consume a total of 2.15 million tonnes of plastic every year; of which only 9% are recycled, and 35% potentially leaks into the open environment, polluting rivers, coasts and oceans. Read more here.
This is why the Donsol chapter of KALIPI (Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina) – part of a nationally federated women’s group that advocates for empowerment through livelihood and skills development – decided to be part of Donsol’s effort against plastic pollution.
“There’s money in waste,” says Wilma Diaz Arevalo, President of KALIPI Donsol. “Our first products we made are the stuffed toys made of plastic.”
Launched in 2013, KALIPI Donsol is empowering around 2,600 Filipino women through community action and the development of livelihood options. Today, KALIPI Donsol is creating a range of upcycled products such as souvenirs, plush toys and bags in the shape of much loved marine life such as whale sharks and sea turtles. By converting low-value plastics into marketable products, these women are helping to reduce plastic pollution while improving their livelihoods and income.
“Mothers are at the front of all responsibilities. They are the light of the household,” said Arevalo. “We teach them that being responsible with plastic is good for the environment.”
Each month, the women collect around 60 kg of styrofoam and plastic waste which are washed, dried and stored to be reused as craft material. In 2022, KALIPI Donsol diverted over 84 kg of plastic from landfills by using them in their upcycled products.
The women source plastic waste from clean-up operations along local beaches and barangays and more recently, from NAKAMOTO – a local pilot solution where waste collectors are organized to collect household waste through motorcycles, reaching barangays that are not being serviced by the municipal waste collection system.
Nakamoto’s Team collecting householdswaste using motorcycles into more secluded area. Photo: WWF-PhilippinesNow piloted in six barangays, NAKAMOTO plays a critical role in community-based waste management by helping to segregate household waste in Donsol and increase collection capacity in a Material Recovery Facility. Beyond collection, the NAKAMOTO waste collectors also help to educate households on how to segregate their waste. Biodegradables are brought to the municipal composting areas, recyclables are sold to partner junk shops, while residual waste such as soft plastics are handed over to organizations like KALIPI Donsol who can use it for their craftwork.
These community-centric and socially-minded enterprises are key partners in supporting Donsol’s Plastic Smart Cities commitment to reduce 30 percent plastic leakage in nature, thereby contributing to the municipality’s 10-year solid waste management plan. Part of the Sorsogon province, Donsol is well known as a nature-based tourism hotspot, especially for whale shark watching. Its coasts border the Ticao-Burias Pass Protected Seascape (TBPPS), an area rich with marine biodiversity and home to numerous endangered species.
Having worked with the local government since 1998 on managing Donsol’s marine biodiversity and whale shark tourism, WWF-Philippines now supports the municipality through the Plastic Smart Cities — by organizing clean-up operations and technical trainings with local partners to improve the quality of their work, while also forging connections between groups in the federation and helping them find a market for their products.
“WWF (fulfilled) almost 85 percent of our organisational needs,” remembers Arevalo. “They provided start-up capital for our business, trainings and seminars, equipment and machines that helped the development of our business. With this help, we were able to realize our objective and reduce plastic waste in nature.”
KALIPI Donsol is now upscaling their operations to include a storage facility and provide benefits for their members. Arevalo and her colleagues intend to expand their operations and eventually export to a bigger market.
Arevalo believes that repurposing plastic is one of the best ways to tackle the problem – using financial incentives to make a positive out of a negative. Her group wants to be part of the effort in turning the tide on plastics in Donsol. “This is not only for myself,” she explains. “It is for my members, for my community, for the next generation.”
There is no silver bullet for the global plastic crisis – tackling this problem will require commitment, innovation and collaboration across various levels of government, business and communities. As part of WWF’s No Plastic in Nature Initiative, Plastic Smart Cities is working alongside cities to scale on-ground solutions for better waste management and advancing the circular economy.
WWF’s efforts in working with KALIPI and NAKAMOTO is supported by its partnership with Nestle Philippines.
