April 23, 2023
Dear Mikaella Constantino,
Greetings!
Thank you for your request dated Apr 04, 2023 05:33:24 PM under Executive Order No. 2 (s. 2016) on Freedom of Information in the Executive Branch.
Your Request
You asked for Textile Waste Status in the Philippines.
Response to Request
Your FOI request is approved. I enclose a copy of the information you requested:
1. In the Philippines, a survey published from 2008-2013 showed approximately 1.61% of the total municipal solid waste is textile waste. This accounts for an estimated 267,711 tons of textile waste per year will be generated based on 16,628,026 tons of total municipal solid waste generation per year (Antiporda B.D. et al., National Solid Waste Management Status Report 2008-2018.). This is outdated data and we are waiting for the next NSWM status report by DENR-NSWM this year (NSWM status report is every 10 years).
The current solid waste management system in the Philippines is in accordance with RA 9003. Solid waste collected from residential or commercial sources is either transported to a disposal site or to a material recovery facility for treatment or segregation. However, post-consumer textile waste is not separated even if it is classified as recyclables. Currently, only biodegradable waste is separated and subjected to composting while paper/cardboard, plastics, metals, and glass are separated for recycling (Domingo, S. N., & Manejar, A. J. A. (2021). An analysis of regulatory policies on solid waste management in the Philippines: Ways forward (No. 2021-02).
2. You can request data for the synthetic fiber production at the PSA website (https://psa.gov.ph/)
3. The textile and clothing industry is considered to be one of the most polluting industries. Apart from the generation of a large amount of post-consumer textile solid waste brought about by the current linear fast-fashion model, the textile industry is also responsible for 26% of the global carbon footprint equivalent to 300 million tons of carbon dioxide released in the atmosphere, consumption of large amount of water and discharging an equivalent amount of hazardous wastewater, which includes 22 million tons of microplastics released into the ocean every year (Piribauer & Bartl, 2019, Waste Management & Research, 37(2), 112-119). Microplastics with sizes from 1 to 5 μm are found ubiquitously in terrestrial and marine ecosystems, where the majority of the microplastic originate from carpeting, textiles, upholstery, fishing nets, and ropes (Koelmans et al., 2019, Water research, 155, 410-422.). Studies have shown that synthetic fibers, specifically polyester are the dominant microplastic detected in water, sediments, and various organisms. This correlates to the 5.4 million tons of synthetic fibers produced globally, the majority of which is polyester (Deng et al., 2020, Environmental Pollution, 258, 113658).
Moreover, wastewater generated from industrial and domestic textile laundering has been attributed as the major source of synthetic fibers found in the aquatic environment. Fibers shed during textile washing or laundering are usually directly discharged to sewers and finally reach wastewater treatment plants. But despite tertiary treatments, not all microplastics can be removed. It is estimated that the annual release of synthetic textile washing is 50-1180 Kg per 100,000 population and the expected overall emission of 3-60 Kg of microplastics from the treatment plants to the nearby environment (Zhang et al., 2021, Green Chemistry, 23(15), 5247-5271).
4. You can request data for the Largest manufacturer of polyester fiber in the Philippines at DTI website (https://www.dti.gov.ph/)
5. Yes, waste polyester or textile waste is a good source of energy. For instance, the US generates about 17 million tons of textile waste per year and only 15% of the total textile is recycled due to the complexity of the textile recycling process. But about 19% of the textiles are being incinerated to be used as fuel sources for energy generation (waste to energy) and the remaining 66% are thrown in landfills (US EPA).
In the Philippines, we currently have a small pilot-scale waste-to-energy facility (25kW) developed by UPLB and funded by DOST but this is not only applicable to textile or polyester fiber waste but to all types of combustible solid waste in general.
Your right to request a review
If you are unhappy with this response to your FOI request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response by writing to Julius L. Leaño, Jr., Ph.D., at
[email protected]. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made within 15 calendar days from the date when you received this letter. We will complete the review and tell you the result within 30 calendar days from the date when we receive your review request.
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Office of the President under Administrative Order No. 22 (s. 2011).
Kindly accomplish the attached DOST-PTRI: FOI Request Feedback Form using the link provided below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uNem_R55Qip7QKGBj_gNQNwUAUSAi8FdMxvKbYsJEts/edit
Thank you.
Respectfully,
Herson D. Dumaya Jr.
FOI Receiving Officer
