RRL for Impact of Plastic Waste

In an article, “Why plastic-clogged Philippines must face up to dearth of waste disposal and recycling”,
which says that Philippines is the third ranks next to China and Indonesia with the biggest polluter, with
2.7 million metric tonnes of plastic waste generated each year. This means that Philippines has a high
collection rate of plastic wastes that are not properly disposed of, according to a 2018 study of waste
management practices in the region. And it’s because of 70% of Filipino population doesn’t have access
disposal facilities and sanitary landfills that causes waste to leak in the ocean, sea, river, etc., that affects
also marine life. (Hannah Alcoseba Fernandez at Eco-business, 2020),

High-value plastics like polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which
are widely available in junk shops, are the focus of recycling in the Philippines, but there is very little
infrastructure for recycling low-value plastics like single-use sachets, which typically end up in landfills.
In addition, 74% of plastic here in the Philippines ends up in the ocean from wastes is already collected.
(World Wide Fund, 2018)

Reference: Eco-Business; “Why plastic-clogged Philippines must face up to dearth of waste disposal and
recycling” by Hannah Alcoseba Fernandez, 2020

https://www.eco-business.com/news/why-plastic-clogged-philippines-must-face-up-to-dearth-of-
waste-disposal-and-recycling/

Over the past 30 years, the consumption of plastic has doubled, driven by expansion in emerging
markets. Between 2000 and 2019, the world's plastics manufacturing increased by double to 460 million
tonnes. 3.4% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions come from plastic. Between 2000 and 2019, the
amount of plastic garbage generated globally more than doubled to 353 million tonnes. Over two thirds
of plastic waste is made up of plastics with a lifespan of less than five years, with packaging accounting
for 40%, consumer products for 12%, and apparel and textiles for 11% of this waste.

In 2019, 1.7 metric tonnes of plastic waste leaked into oceans and 6.1 Mt of plastic waste leaked into
aquatic habitats. A further 109 metric tonnes of plastic garbage has accumulated in rivers, and there is
currently an estimated 30 metric tonnes of plastic waste in seas and oceans. Even though the amount of
improperly managed plastic waste might be substantially decreased, the accumulation of plastics in
rivers suggests that leaking into the ocean will persist for decades to come. (OECD Global Plastics)

Attached image is the data of plastic waste globally; Updated data, year 2022
Reference: Article: “Plastic pollution is growing relentlessly as waste management and recycling fall
short”, OECD Global Plastics

https://www.oecd.org/environment/plastic-pollution-is-growing-relentlessly-as-waste-management-
and-recycling-fall-short.htm#:~:text=There%20is%20now%20an%20estimated,waste%20could%20be
%20significantly%20reduced.

Based on a study by Jambeck et al. (2015), In terms of producing the most plastic waste globally, the
Philippines came in third, behind China and Indonesia. In 2015, the Philippines produced an estimated
2.7 million metric tons of plastic waste. Nonetheless, during the same year, China produced roughly 48.1
million metric tons of plastic waste. Although China produces more plastic waste than any other
country, the Philippines nevertheless contributes the most plastic waste to the oceans globally. This is
because the majority of people in the Philippines reside in coastal regions and close to waterways and
rivers. In addition, coastal cities like Metro Manila that have paved surfaces, urban drainage systems,
and are located in areas with a lot of precipitation have been found to release more land-based plastic
waste into the ocean.

Meijer et al. (2021) calculated that the Pasig River, which is in Metro Manila and is situated along Manila
Bay, is the river that contributes the most marine plastic waste. It adds to the 6.43 percent of all plastic
waste that is discovered in the oceans. Furthermore, as a tropical nation, the Philippines experiences
heavy annual rains. Due to precipitation, surface run-off, storm water, and sewage transport the plastic
waste from the land to the rivers, which then transport the waste to the seas and oceans. The
Philippines is home to seven of the top 10 plastically polluted rivers in the world. In the Philippines, with
a total of 4,820 rivers, emits over 356,371 million metric tons of plastic trash into the ocean each year.
India comes in second with a total of 1,169 rivers, generating 126.513 million metric tons of plastic
waste each year.

Reference: “Philippines, Plastic Pollution Issues”, Envilliance ASIA, EHS Info Service, Free Edition

https://enviliance.com/regions/southeast-asia/ph/ph-plastic-pollution-issues