By: Jewel Bouvier P. Atienza
In April 2023, 32 Philippine consumers filed a case with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) against the top plastic polluters in the Philippines, namely Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Unilever, URC, and Nestle for their false and misleading recyclability claims on the plastic packaging of their products. This case is just one of the man\y cases filed in many parts of the world involving the use of plastics. Think tanks, insurance groups, and thought leaders anticipate plastic litigation on the rise soon.
There are many ways that a business can minimize plastic. In the first plastic, plastic was not really an inherent part of our life, being widely manufactured/used beginning only in the 1970s. Not only will this be good for the environment, but it could also help your company avoid getting involved in plastic litigation.
A company may be sued on the ground of::
- Environmental Damage
Continuous use of plastic packaging could be one of the complaints you will often hear from consumers who are environmentally conscious. Moreover, the prolonged use of plastic packaging can cause lasting damage not only to our environment but also to the health of consumers. - Misleading/ False Advertisement
Putting a “recyclable” statement on products can be considered as a violation of the Consumers Act of the Philippines for false and misleading information in the labeling of products. - Human Health
Human exposure to plastics, through the inhalation or ingestion of microplastics, is one of the major risks to business owners. Consumers of the product and even employees of business owners may get sick from repeated exposure to plastics.
There are many other causes of action, the above is not an exhaustive list.
BIZHELP suggests: Cut the amount of plastic packaging. Shift from plastic packaging to other environmentally sustainable modes of product delivery like refill and reuse systems.
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