OCEAN PLASTIC POLLUTION

• The Asian nation has also made waves by being crowned as the world's biggest ocean plastic polluter
• Contrary to popular belief, most plastic waste does not enter the sea directly. Conversely, it makes its way to the sea from smaller water streams
• According to a 2021 study, 80% of plastic waste comes from rivers and seven of the top ten plastic-polluted rivers in the world are in the Philippines. Pasig River even dethrones the previously most polluted river in 2017, the Yangtze River of China
• Alarming Reality

  • STAGGERING VOLUMES
  • MARINE IMPACT
  • HEALTH HAZARDS
  • URBAN EYESORE
• ROOT CAUSES OF PLASTIC POLLUTION

  • Single use Culture
  • Inadequate Waste Management
  • Leakage from Open Landfills
  • Economic Pressures
  • Government Mismanagement
• 20 million people living below the poverty line in 2021
• Large corporations offering palm-sized packages of products and building a "sachet economy", further exacerbating plastic pollution in the country
• 70% Filipinos lack access to disposal facilities
• TOLL OF PLASTIC WASTE

  • Impact on Coastal Communities
  • Coral Reefs at Risk
  • Economic Losses in Tourism Sector
  • Microplastics in Marine Life and Human Health
  • Spread of Pathogens and Disease
  • Health Impact in Marginalized Communities
• Global Microbiome Living on Plastics
• THE GOVERNMENT AND AN INNOVATIVE ACTION PLAN

  • POLICY REFORMS
  • WASTE MANAGEMENT
  • CIRCULAR ECONOMY
  • CLEAN-UP INITIATIVES
  • EDUCATION AND AWARENESS
  • COLLABORATION
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act


  The EPR Act holds manufacturers accountable for the entire life cycle of their products, encouraging sustainable practices
• Single-Use Plastic Ban


  Strict regulations can curb their consumption and production
• Enhanced Collection Systems


  Investments in efficient waste collection and recycling infrastructure are crucial
• Community Engagement


  Education and awareness programs empower communities to adopt responsible waste management practices
• Transition to a Circular Economy


  promotes recycling, reusing, and repurposing of materials
• Innovation in Packaging


  Eco-friendly packaging solutions and alternatives can reduce plastic usage
• Coastal Clean-Up

  help remove existing plastic waste from sensitive ecosystem
• Plastic Waste Banks


  Encouraging the collection and exchange of plastic waste for rewards can incentivize recycling
• Environmental Education into school curricula fosters a sense of responsibility from a young age
• Media Campaigns


  raise awareness and mobilize support for plastic pollution solutions
• Public-Private Partnerships


  Collaboration between government, businesses, and civil society organizations strengthens plastic waste management efforts
• Innovation Hubs


  and research centers can drive the development of sustainable alternatives to plastics
• Succession of Boracay Rehabilitation and its Closure to the Public in April 26, 2018
• Captain Charles J Moore: 'Only we humans make waste that nature can't digest'