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How will the Philippines people pose different types of health hazards due to the impact of

plastic waste on oceans?

YansenLin

Mr. Jon Meeder

ENG105Z

11/15/2020
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How will the Philippines people pose different types of health hazards due to the impact of

plastic waste on oceans?

The plastic pollution crisis is considered transboundary in nature because it involves

different countries and regions. On the production side, a report by the Ellen MacArthur

Foundation predicts that plastic production will continue to rise past the 25 billion ton mark in

2050. This is expected to happen, although historically waste remains an issue. Furthermore, it is

estimated that only 9% of the plastic ever produced is recycled, while 79% of it ends up in landfills

or, worse, leaks into the environment (Alegado, 2020). Developing countries such as the

Philippines play a pivotal role in the global plastic pollution crisis. The Philippines is the third-

largest source of plastic pollution in the ocean, producing 2.7 million tons of plastic waste each

year, according to a 2015 report by the ocean conservation charity and the McKinsey Center for

Business and the Environment (Jambeck, 2022). The report also found that the Philippines

contributes 36% of the plastic waste that ends up in the world’s oceans, (Manahan, 2021) The

reason for these worrying statistics is that plastic waste in the Philippines comes from individual

packaging called The sachet, since it is not recyclable, usually ends up in the ocean and is therefore

worthless to a recycler who might otherwise recycle it for profit. All of this plastic in the ocean

can then flood into poor, low-lying communities, causing health hazards and disease. In the

Philippines, however, there are a number of organizations working to protect the environment by

taking plastic out of the ocean and making sure it doesn't end up in the ocean in the first place.

This paper will discuss all the factors due to which the Philippines people face different types of

health hazards due to the impact of plastic waste on oceans by highlighting the three main types

of plastics; macro-micro and nanoplastic’s impacts.

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In addition to being an unattractive sight in the environment, plastic can pose serious

dangers to wildlife and humans. These hazards may include human health hazards such as

suffocation, lung and kidney problems, cerebral hemorrhage, and more. In the case of marine life,

marine life has been observed to ingest and entangle various plastic wastes found in the ocean.

These can lead to external and internal injury and blockage of the digestive tract and airway, which

can eventually lead to their death and sometimes disease (Jambeck, 2022). When these marine

animals come into contact with humans in any way, the toxins they contain are broken down in

their bodies. So when humans eat seafood, they eat these too. Some of these plastic toxins, such

as microplastics, have been linked to hormonal abnormalities and developmental problems such

as Giardia and Cryptosporidium (Crypto), both of which can cause stomach problems in humans

(Waldman, 2022). However, researchers are still trying to understand exactly how human health

is affected when they consume plastic through fish and shellfish. Research reveals that there are

three main types of plastics; macroplastics, microplastics, and nano plastics. Macroplastics are a

major source of microplastics and nanoplastics. While they can lead to many forms of amputation

in wildlife, for example, marine species can suffocate and die from ingesting plastic. Microplastics

and nanoplastics are a threat to all living things, including the smallest species (Anadolu, 2022).

Research has shown that pathogen-carrying microplastics can travel long distances on the ocean

surface or sink to lower depths. This is where animals like shellfish can ingest them and accumulate

plastic and those pathogens in their bodies. Analysis to date suggests that microplastics do not

necessarily pose a risk to human health. But there's still a lot we don't know. One concern is that

plastics in the ocean will eventually degrade into nano plastics, which are so small that they can

enter human cells when eaten (Maquart, 2022). In 2019, however, experts called for more research
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into the effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on human health (Bryce, 2022). So, without a

doubt, the most significant impact consumers can have is reducing their use of single-use plastic,

which contributes a large part to plastic pollution in the ocean. To this end, recycling as much

plastic as possible is important. Volunteer groups clean up rivers and beaches to help reduce the

amount of loose plastic flowing into the ocean. Supporting campaigns and policy changes to reduce

unnecessary plastic production is also critical. To that end, the Philippines has three major

organizations addressing plastic pollution, helping people in affected communities, and working

to preserve the biodiversity of the ocean. They are Mother Earth Foundation (MEF), Free From

Plastic, and GAGI. These organizations help educate and train Filipinos and other Southeast

Asians to implement zero-waste policies in their communities (Thelwell, 2020).

Another point to support the thesis is “the versatility and durability of plastic” that allowed

it to be more infectious and difficult to handle on a large scale in the second half of the 20th century.

The Philippines is one of the countries with the most serious marine plastic pollution in the world,

with 0.28 to 750,000 tons of plastic entering the ocean from the coastal areas of Manila Bay each

year. The country uses nearly 60 billion bags every year. Economic growth, coupled with increased

production and consumption, has resulted in more waste in the Philippines (SEA circular, 2020).

When all of this waste enter into the ocean, it causes several problems which raise the question of

plastics degradability. In Actual, plastics are difficult to degrade, and because waste management

is often ineffective, approximately 55% of plastics end up in landfills or nature (Maquart, 2022).

As a result, poor plastic management can permanently pollute the environment by disposal of it in

oceans and sea. In the Philippines, approximately 74% of plastic spilled into the ocean is initially

collected but escapes from open landfills located near vulnerable waterways (Schachter and

Karasik, 2017). This can have serious health consequences for Filipinos, such as phlegm,
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respiratory irritation, cough, obesity, cancer , dyspnea, cardiovascular disease, decreased lung

capacity, and asthma(Manahan, 2021; Schachter & Karasik, 2017). It has also been hypothesized

that MNPs may contribute to inflammation, immune dysfunction, neurotoxicity, neoplasia, and

metabolic changes. Additionally, human ingestion of microplastics has the potential to affect gut

health, as observed in fish. Exposure to microplastics can lead to intestinal inflammation and

destruction of intestinal epithelial cells, leading to leaky gut and potentially significant health risks.

This inflammation is thought to be driven by increased oxidative stress in intestinal epithelial cells.

In addition, microplastics can reduce the mucus layer in the gut, an important chemical barrier in

the gut. Research has also shown that microplastics can affect the microbiota in the gut, thereby

destabilizing the gut microenvironment.(Schachter & Karasik, 2017; Morrison, 2022).

The versatility of microplastics is large enough, however, some studies have pointed to the

global health impacts of microplastic and nano plastic pollution, with little attention paid to

macroplastics on the spread and dispersed of infectious diseases and their effects on human and

livestock health (Maquart, 2022). Research on ocean plastics and their impact on the environment

has focused on macroplastics and their effects on long-lived organisms, suggesting that plastic

affects all nutrient levels, including the microbes that form the basis of marine food webs (Llacuna

Onda et al., 2014). In fact, detained plastic debris can contribute to arthropod-borne diseases by

providing a habitat for the immature stages of certain vectors, as well as anthropophilic and

medically important species, which may increase local vector populations and thus affect disease

burden. Likewise, by acting as a dead reservoir, waste plastic promotes the development of

pathogenic bacteria such as leptospirosis and harmful algae. These microbes can create biofilms

that coat the plastic debris, which can then colonize new bodies of water. These concerns point to

the need for an interdisciplinary approach to understanding and potentially preventing plastic
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debris from affecting local vector-borne and water-borne diseases (Maquart, 2022). The most

obvious examples are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, which transmit chikungunya, dengue,

yellow fever, and Zika, among many other arboviruses. As observed in the Philippines, both

species are highly hominid and develop in plastic containers, tires, buckets, plastic teacups, and

plastic bottles, and are often found close to homes (E Edillo et al., 2018).

Furthermore, many studies exploring the effects of plastics and marine food plastic

additives on human health have focused on the effects of BPA and phthalates. BPA can cause

reproductive impairment in shellfish and crustaceans, as BPA and phthalates are known endocrine

disrupting chemicals, and therefore also affect human development and reproduction. In men, this

may manifest as decreased fertility or an increased risk of testicular and prostate cancer, while in

women it may manifest as a risk of endometriosis, reproductive-related cancers, impaired ovarian

function, and menstrual cycle increase. Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in utero may

cause testicular, prostate, kidney, and immune system disorders, and lead to tumors (Basak et al.,

2020). So, after noticing all these potential impacts, Philippine organizations have moved to work

with partners on coastal cleanup to address marine litter or waste and other foreign matter that ends

up in the ocean. These actions include the Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of

2017 (Jambeck, 2022), and improving the institutional, technical and financial capacity of local

government units (LGUs) to manage municipal solid waste, including packaging waste.

Additionally, in recent years, businesses have offered ways to recycle, upgrade and

downgrade to curb plastic pollution. But these are neither feasible nor sustainable solutions. The

Philippines now aims to promote 60% plastic recovery and recycling by 2030 and provides

opportunities for private sector technology transfer and assimilation in plastic waste management,
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especially for different plastic waste streams (Schachter and Karasik, 2017). Other business ideas

that can help curb the problem of plastic pollution in the Philippines are building gas stations,

promoting the use of reusable containers in shopping, and creating more sustainable and

environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic packaging for companies. Likewise, Japanese

companies can form partnerships with the Philippine government and local companies to realize

these commercial projects. This could strengthen the relationship between Japan and the

Philippines and help reduce the problem of plastic pollution in the Philippines (Alegado, 2020).
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References

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