Philippines Intensifies Drive for Toxics-Free Healthcare with National Workshop
QUEZON CITY — The Philippine Healthcare and Mercury Wastes Management Project (HCWM Project) successfully concluded a comprehensive three-day national workshop this week, marking a significant advancement in the country's pursuit of toxics-free and zero-waste healthcare facilities. Held from January 13 to 15, 2026, the event gathered more than 100 key stakeholders, including representatives from partner hospitals, national and local government agencies, and civil society organizations, to address critical environmental challenges in the healthcare sector.
Launch of Toxics-Free Hospitals Campaign
During a press conference at the workshop, the project officially unveiled its Toxics-Free Hospitals Campaign, a strategic initiative designed to transform waste management practices in medical institutions. This campaign introduces several vital interventions, such as enhanced waste segregation protocols, reduction of single-use plastics, promotion of reusable personal protective equipment (PPE), adoption of low- or zero-emission waste treatment technologies, and capacity-building programs for the environmentally sound management of infectious and other healthcare wastes.
The launch was timed to coincide with International Zero Waste Month and the 25th anniversary of Republic Act No. 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which was enacted on January 26, 2001. This landmark legislation provides the national framework for integrated solid waste management based on resource conservation and recovery principles.
"Promoting toxics‐free and proper waste initiatives in healthcare facilities and beyond supports sustainable practices, encourages responsible production and consumption, and requires collaboration across government, industry, and communities to protect public health and the environment," emphasized OIC Assistant Secretary for Environment and EMB Director, Jacqueline A. Caancan, during the event.
Inter-Agency Collaboration and Innovative Framework
A highlight of the press conference was the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), represented by Asec. Caancan, and the Department of Health–Health Facility Development Bureau (DOH-HFDB), represented by its Director, Dr. Melissa Sena. This agreement formalizes inter-agency collaboration in implementing the HCWM Project, ensuring a coordinated approach to healthcare waste management.
As part of the campaign, the project introduced "Nurse Susie," a character created to promote environmental sustainability in healthcare settings. Nurse Susie encourages healthcare professionals and the public to say no to single-use plastics, adopt reusable alternatives, and raise awareness about toxic chemicals in healthcare waste. She serves as a friendly guide for promoting the campaign's 4Cs framework:
- Change old habits
- Cut plastics
- Commit to reuse
- Champion sustainability
Addressing Plastic Waste in Healthcare
A waste audit report presented during the workshop revealed alarming statistics: plastics accounted for over 70 percent of total waste composition in three partner hospitals. Specifically, the audit, conducted in partnership with Healthcare Without Harm (HCWH) Southeast Asia, showed that plastics made up 77% of waste at Cagayan Valley Medical Center, 78% at Eastern Visayas Medical Center, and 84% at Quirino Memorial Medical Center.
Most of this plastic waste originates from patient-care disposables and daily-use items. Sanitary products, infectious materials like cotton and gauze, and medical textiles such as aprons, masks, and gloves constitute over half of the total plastic waste. Non-medical items, including foodware and bottles, also contribute significantly, highlighting how hospital clients, visitors, and the general public add to the plastic waste burden in healthcare facilities.
"There is a pressing need to explore alternative materials and reusable systems that maintain infection control standards while reducing waste volume. The introduction of reusable PPE, washable medical textiles, and durable patient linens could significantly minimize the dependency on single-use plastics in hospitals," the HCWH report recommended.
Technical Assessments and Policy Review
The workshop also featured two critical technical assessments. The first, led by policy expert Atty. Josiah David Quising, reviewed existing policies and regulations on healthcare waste management, identifying gaps and recommending a sustainable, rights-based regulatory framework. The second assessment, conducted by waste management expert Engr. Gerardo Mogol, examined current waste handling, treatment, and disposal practices, providing a foundation for recommending environmentally sound technologies and non-burn treatment methods.
Jam Lorenzo, BAN Toxics Deputy Executive Director and HCWM Project manager, emphasized the importance of reducing plastic use to curb toxic chemical emissions. "Plastic wastes contain a wide range of chemicals, which, if mismanaged, can leach into air, water, and soil. When burned, they may generate unintentional persistent organic pollutants (uPOPs), such as dioxins and furans, due to their chlorine content," Lorenzo explained.
The World Health Organization notes that dioxins and furans are highly toxic, persistent pollutants that bioaccumulate in organisms and biomagnify up the food chain, posing long-term risks to human health and the environment.
Expanding Reach and Future Directions
The workshop welcomed three new partner hospitals from Mindanao—Caraga Regional Hospital, Northern Mindanao Medical Center, and Southern Philippines Medical Center—bringing the project's total to six partner hospitals across six regions in the Philippines.
"Moving forward, we are confident that with the previous year's project outputs, we are well on our way to strengthening the country's healthcare waste management systems, as intended by the project. It will be a clear demonstration of how efforts toward inclusive and sustainable industrial development can help value chains maximize the health-environment nexus and decouple environmental degradation from economic growth toward sustainable prosperity," said UNIDO Country Representative Teddy Monroy.
Monroy underscored that the project strongly contributes to UNIDO's Country Programme in the Philippines and advances the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 on good health and well-being, SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation, SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production, and SDG 9 on industry, innovation, and infrastructure.
"Through the continuing collaboration of government, the health sector, civil society, and communities, we will drive change toward cleaner, safer, and sustainable healthcare waste management systems," Monroy concluded.
The five-year HCWM Project, launched in December 2023, is being implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the DENR-EMB, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and executed in partnership with civil society organization BAN Toxics. It aims to improve healthcare waste management in the Philippines by reducing the release of unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (uPOPs) and ensuring the safe handling and disposal of mercury stockpiles in healthcare facilities.
