Earth Day: Philippines Must Do More Than Beach Clean-Up To Reduce Marine Plastic Pollution

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The Philippines produces 61,000 metric tons of solid waste daily, of which 24 per cent is plastic. Only a small fraction – at most 10 per cent – is recycled, with major leaks going into the marine environment.

Although not among the top generators of plastic garbage in the world, the Philippines is considered a major contributor to marine plastic pollution. It generates approximately 2.7 million tons of plastic waste annually, with up to 20 per cent of it ending up in the ocean.

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The country's weak economy encourages the use of plastic sachets that contain anything from shampoo to soy sauce. Filipinos use approximately 163 million plastic sachet packets, 48 million shopping bags, and 45 million thin-film bags daily.

A 2021 study indicated the Philippines contributes a significant portion of global ocean plastic waste, with 466 rivers discharging over 350,000 metric tons of mismanaged plastic annually.

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Members and volunteers of Earth Island Institute–Philippines (EII-P) recently held a coastal cleanup in one of Manila Bay's remaining mangrove forests as part of its commemoration of Earth Month this April and Earth Day today, April 22.

They collected garbage washed up on the shores at the Las Piñas–Parañaque Wetland Park (LPPWP) to call attention to plastic pollution plaguing the country.

EII-P noted that much of the waste collected consisted of single-use plastics commonly found along Philippine coastlines.

“Communities on the frontlines bear the heaviest burden,” said Trixie Concepcion, Regional Director of EII-AP, adding:“The solution lies in shifting to people-centered renewable energy, reducing plastic production, and empowering communities to protect their environment before it's too late.”

“Cleaning our coastlines is more than removing trash,” Concepcion underscored.“It is about challenging the systems that create this pollution and empowering communities to demand solutions. This year's clean-up reminds us that people have the power to shape a cleaner, more sustainable energy future,” she added.

No to plastics

Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives-Asia Pacific (GAIA-AP), meanwhile, said it is time to look to decentralised resilient systems like Zero Waste and micro-renewables.

Arpita Bhagat, Plastic Policy Officer of GAIA Asia Pacific, said reuse, refill and repair solutions must be put in place as homegrown, accessible, affordable and non-toxic alternative to the widespread use of plastics.

“Governments must invest in scaling up these solutions to build a more resilient and sustainable economy,” Bhagat said.

Both EII-P and GAIA-AP have strongly oppose policies, programs and projects that put waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration as a solution to plastic waste in the ocean or clogging cities' floodways.

WTE incinerators rely on tons of plastic wastes as feedstock on a daily basis to generate energy, the groups reveal. The practice is pushed in communities such as Smokey Mountain, Cebu, Davao, Pampanga, Iloilo, Siargao and many other cities in the region.

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