DENR Launches Nationwide Student Competition to Curb Plastic Pollution

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has initiated a national student competition aimed at combating plastic pollution. The Earth Day Every Day Project, set to launch on April 22, involves a plastic collection contest among students to foster environmental responsibility and reduce plastic waste.

According to Philippines News Agency, the project will be conducted in partnership with private sector entities and youth organizations such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of the Philippines. “The Earth Day Every Day Project advocates the promotion of feasible methods to reduce waste and fosters a culture of sustainability among the youth and communities,” Loyzaga stated in a recent news release. She expressed hope that the collaboration with private companies and youth groups would significantly amplify the impact of the initiative.

The contest encourages students to collect plastics within their communities and bring them to designated collection facilities located in SM malls across the country. Jessica Sy-Bell, assistant vice president of SM Prime Holdings, Inc., emphasized the company’s long-standing commitment to environmental sustainability, including recycling water, repurposing solid waste, and utilizing renewable energy.

Additionally, multinational food and beverage company Nestlé Philippines Inc. has expressed its support for the project, highlighting the urgency of addressing the plastic waste crisis effectively. Joey Uy, corporate affairs head senior vice president at Nestlé, noted the company’s efforts in environmental sustainability initiatives, which include solid waste management education for millions of public school students and capacity building for community leaders nationwide.

The competition will feature a weigh-in event at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, where student scouts will submit the plastic items they have collected. “The class with the highest volume of plastic items will win a prize,” the DENR announced. Points will be assigned based on the type of plastic collected, with monthly prizes for the class with the highest points and a year-end award for the school with the top-performing classes.

A recent survey by Greenpeace International across 19 countries highlighted the Filipino public’s support for measures to control plastic production and ban single-use plastic packaging, reflecting widespread concern about plastic pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change.