Recognising the vital role of informal waste workers in waste collection and management, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) is undertaking activities to formally integrate the sector in the country’s solid waste management through strengthened policy support and targeted training programs to promote social inclusion and provide them with alternative livelihood.
“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,” said DENR Secretary Raphael P. M. Lotilla.
“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.
This year, the DENR-EMB will provide grants for weighing scales to 50 junk shops in Quezon City to support waste recovery and recycling, connect workers to larger markets and enterprises where they can support obliged enterprises under the EPR Act. The informal waste workers will also receive training in organisational buildout, business planning and financial literacy to support sustainable livelihoods.
In 2024, the DENR-EMB conducted lectures for some 200 informal waste workers in the National Capital Region, Region III, and Region IV-A. These aimed to raise awareness on the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022 and the Ecological Solid Waste Management (ESWM) and emphasise their role in helping producers achieve recycling targets under the EPR system.
To formalise the sector and provide much-needed support, the DENR-led National Solid Waste Management Commission issued Resolution No. 1655, Series of 2024, which mandates local government units to integrate programs supporting informal waste workers into their ten-year solid waste management plans, ensuring institutional recognition and access to essential services.
Informal waste workers include waste reclaimers, itinerant waste buyers, and small junk shop operators who recover and recycle significant amounts of waste materials that help reduce landfill dependency.
According to EMB, informal waste workers operate without formal policies that ensure workplace safety, stable income, or access to social services. Exposure to hazardous materials puts them at risk of respiratory illnesses, infections, and injuries.
The lack of integration into the formal waste management systems also leaves them vulnerable to social welfare benefits and limits their economic opportunities. 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 EMB said solid waste continues to be a prevalent concern nationwide because local government units in the country face challenges in solid waste management due to lack of waste management infrastructure, prevalence of single-use plastics, and limited access to sanitary landfills.
By prioritising the welfare of informal waste workers, the DENR-EMB seeks to build a waste management system that is not only environmentally sustainable but also socially just, ensuring that those who contribute to waste recovery and recycling receive the recognition and support they deserve.
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