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URL: https://www.tiktok.com/@stefalinity29/video/7242915967280581893

Title: Microplastics

Author: Steffan Madroma

Date Published: June 10, 2023

Key Content:  Steffan, an online conservationist and environmentalist, talked about microplastics - tiny plastic particles from plastic products, packaging, and even synthetic textiles. This microplastic has been a problem ever since for both humans and animals; one reason for this is the plastics used on land often go to the ocean, where in marine animals ingest it and can affect humans as well every time humans eat kinds of seafood. Another reason is plastics from land are often washed out to our water sources such as rivers, lakes, etc., every time there is solid rain, and most marginalized communities drink from tap waters wherein we cannot ensure the safeness of the water, which causes health issues.

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Hey friends! Let’s talk about #microplastics  Here’s the details and learn what can we do to address the issue.  #MicroplaticAwareness #educationtiktok #climatechange #climateaction #environmentalscience #environment  Music: Credits to the rightful owner 

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@stefalinity29
Hey friends! Let’s talk about #microplastics Here’s the details and learn what can we do to address the issue. #MicroplaticAwareness #educationtiktok #climatechange #climateaction #environmentalscience #environment Music: Credits to the rightful owner
♬ original sound - Steff Finds - Steffan Madrona

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URL: https://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/environmental-group-alarmed-after-study-found-microplastics-in-davao-gulf

Title: Environmental group alarmed after study found microplastics in Davao Gulf

Author: Ralph L. Llemit

Date Published: November 19, 2021

Key Content: The article highlights the alarming presence of microplastics in Philippine waters, particularly in Davao Gulf, raising concerns over its detrimental effects on marine ecosystems and human health, prompting calls for urgent action from both the government and the public to address solid waste management and minimize plastic consumption.

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A DAVAO City-based environmental group said they are alarmed with a recent study confirming the presence of microplastics in some parts of the Philippines, including Davao Gulf.

Ecowaste Coalition revealed a report from the Coastal Resources and Ecotourism Research, Development and Extension Center (CRERDEC), confirming the presence of microplastics in the country's marine waters.

CRERDEC is a division under the Department of Environment and Natural Resource-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (DENR-ERDB).

The "Microplastic Contamination Determination of Selected Water Bodies in the Philippines" study of CRERDEC confirmed the presence of microplastics in Philippine waters with the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape in Badian and Moalboal, Cebu having the highest density of microplastics among the ten study areas nationwide.

Study sites and sampling points also included in the study are Manila Bay, Subic Bay, Lamon Bay, Boracay Island, Taklong Island National Marine Reserve, Tañon Strait Protected Seascape, Davao Gulf, Butuan Bay, Iligan Bay, and the special area, Apo Reef Natural Park.

Jon Alfonso P. Horvidalla, science research specialist and study leader of the project, said such research finding is alarming considering that the presence of microplastics in the study areas could have detrimental effects on the function of the marine ecosystem, particularly coral reefs.

Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (Idis) Executive Director Mark Peñalver told SunStar Davao that the presence of microplastics in Davao Gulf has been a long-time problem and can be mainly attributed to improper solid waste management practices.

Peñalver said microplastics come from a variety of sources, including from larger plastic debris that degrades into smaller pieces. In addition, microbeads, a type of microplastic, are very tiny pieces of manufactured polyethylene plastic that are added as exfoliants to health and beauty products, such as some cleansers and toothpaste.

These tiny particles easily pass through water filtration systems and end up in the ocean and lakes, posing a potential threat to marine life.

He said studies showed that some marine creatures, particularly fishes, had digested microplastics. Some microplastics would eventually contaminate other bodies of water, including the sources of drinking water.

"Since these are microplastics, wala ta'y way to filter that (we don't have a filtering mechanism for that), and eventually, it will go to the waters na ginainom nato (that we drink). This can also be digested by our water animals such as fish and crustaceans. Mubalik gihapon sa atoa ang effects sa microplastics (The effects of microplastics would go back to us)," Peñalver said.

Peñalver said they have no independent study on the possible volume of microplastics collected in the body of waters in the city or the region.

He said the CRERDEC study should serve as a call to action for both the government and the public on addressing solid waste management by minimizing or eliminating the consumption of plastics.

The Davao City Government, in June 2021, signed the "No to Single-Use Plastics Ordinance of 2021."

However, Peñalver said the implementing rules and regulations are still being crafted as of this writing.

In a report from the World Health Organization (WHO), there is insufficient information to conclude on the toxicity of plastic particles.

Studies on absorption indicate that microplastics greater than 150 micrometers are likely to be excreted directly through feces.

"Toxicology studies in rats and mice reported some impacts including inflammation of the liver. However, these few studies are of questionable reliability and relevance, with findings reported at very high exposures that would not occur in drinking-water," WHO said in a report.

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Environmental group alarmed after study found microplastics in Davao Gulf

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A DAVAO City-based environmental group said they are alarmed with a recent study confirming the presence of microplastics in some parts of the Philippines, incl

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URL: https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/11/plastic-trash-swamps-davao-city-after-flood/

Title: Plastic trash swamps Davao City after flood

Author: Antonio Colina IV

Date Published: April 12, 2021

Key Content:

The heavy flooding in Davao City left streets strewn with single-use plastic waste, prompting a call from a local environmental group for policymakers to enact stricter regulations to address plastic pollution, highlighting the direct impact on residents and emphasizing the need for more sustainable policies to safeguard the well-being of the community.

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URL: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/04/02/plastic-pollution-health-poverty/

Title: There’s good reason to worry about the health risks of plastics

Author: Erika Veidis and Jamie Hansen

Date Published: April 2, 2022

Key Content:

Plastics, from production to disposal, pose significant health risks globally, with their ubiquitous presence exacerbating environmental degradation, perpetuating health disparities, and necessitating urgent action to mitigate their impacts and protect vulnerable communities.

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A man walks on a mountain of plastic bottles as he carries a sack of them to be sold for recycling in Nairobi in 2018. (Ben Curtis/AP)
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An emerging domain of research shows that plastic consumption and pollution harms human health - particularly for the world's lower-income communities.

This builds on a growing field of research revealing the dangers of plastic on the environment - especially marine ecosystems. Of the over 8 billion tons of plastic produced since the 1950s, less than 10 percent has been recycled.

"Plastic threatens human health at every stage of its production pipeline - from the extraction of the fossil carbon, oil and gas, that is plastic's main constituent, to its manufacture, use and disposal," said Philip Landrigan, director of the Global Observatory on Pollution and Health and lead author of the Lancet Commission on pollution and health.

The connection between plastics and health was also highlighted in Africa by researchers from Stanford and the Technical University of Mombasa. After decades of hunting for mosquito-borne viruses in coastal Kenya, they received one of their greatest tips from a group of elementary schoolchildren.

The scientists had been trying to uncover the breeding grounds of mosquitoes causing a number of illnesses that regularly sicken over half of Kenya's coastal population - including dengue, chikungunya and others that can cause severe fevers, headaches, rashes, joint pain, life-threatening bleeding and death.

With these diseases on the rise, researchers were teaching schoolchildren about the life stages and habitats of insects that serve as vectors. On a homework assignment to find immature forms of mosquitoes in their communities, the children discovered something unexpected - disease-carrying mosquitoes breeding in nests of plastic trash around their homes.

"We were astounded," said Stanford pediatrician and researcher Desiree LaBeaud, who led the project. "The children's discovery helped us realize that the majority of mosquitoes were breeding in plastic trash and other containers littering streets and people's yards."

The world created about 8 million tons of pandemic plastic waste, and much of it is now in the ocean

Environment and health

It made sense: Plastic is watertight and can take hundreds of years to break down, creating a perfect habitat for mosquitoes. This groundbreaking discovery built on other recent findings connecting environmental degradation to human health - including the health effects of wildfire smoke, heat stress and the risk of pandemics caused by deforestation and other ecological disruptions. With climate change driving an increase in mosquito-borne illnesses, the need to limit their breeding grounds felt more important than ever to the researchers.

"We realized that we needed to look far beyond just treating the sick," said LaBeaud, who is senior author on an upcoming publication in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases on the topic. "To stop these diseases at their source, we needed to tackle the plastic problem."

Plastics are closely tied to climate change, which the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has recognized as "one of the most pressing existential threats to human health," in the words of NAM President Victor J. Dzau. Plastics use the same amount of oil as the entire aviation industry - and are expected to more than triple in their oil consumption in the next 30 years.

Moreover, the pollution caused by petrochemical plants - which are most often in lower-income settings - threaten the health of communities. "Plastic manufacture is inequitably distributed, with virtually all plastic production facilities located either in low- and mid-income countries or in poor and minority communities within high-income countries," Landrigan pointed out.

EPA just detailed all the ways climate change will hit U.S. racial minorities the hardest. It's a long list.

After plastic products are released into the environment, they can break down into smaller pieces of plastic known as microplastics. While more research is needed, some findings suggest these virtually ubiquitous tiny plastic particles - that have been found in human blood - have the potential to disrupt immune and endocrine systems, damage organs, cause inflammation, increase cancer risk and possibly affect pregnancy outcomes.

Disposing of plastic waste also poses challenges. In places such as sub-Saharan Africa, as much as three quarters of all waste is burned, releasing toxic compounds and carcinogens into the air.

The infectious-disease research in coastal Kenya is a critical new dimension. Plastic pollution is exacerbating an already dire public health challenge - over 50 percent of people in coastal Kenya are regularly exposed to dengue and chikungunya, and at least 10 percent of febrile illness in the region is probably because of undiagnosed mosquito-borne viral infections. This pattern seems to be widespread - similar findings have emerged in South America and Asia.

The problem is not only the potentially deadly diseases themselves. With symptoms for some illnesses such as chikungunya lasting for up to months or years, getting sick could also mean missing school and days of work - and communities being kept in poverty, creating what some scholars call the " disease-poverty trap."

"The case of plastics vividly illustrates how the industrial practices of the high-income world are intimately tied to the health and development of lower-income communities around the globe," LaBeaud said. "Maintaining a healthy planet requires thinking carefully about how we produce, consume, and waste - knowing that downstream health impacts, especially on marginalized communities, won't always be immediately apparent."

From national parks to the deep sea, plastic pollution is showing up wherever scientists look

Fighting a growing problem

Combating the plastic pollution in Kenya and other African countries involves addressing both exported recycling from high-income countries and an influx of new plastic products, especially single-use materials.

Kenya, along with 95 other countries, received more than 1 billion pounds of foreign plastic waste from U.S. exporters in 2019 alone. This roughly equates to a line of 18-wheeler semi-trucks full of plastic trash backed up for about 350 miles, stretching nearly the entire length of Florida. And it's not just plastic trash imports - Nairobi also saw a quadrupling in plastic consumption over the same 25-year period that its population only tripled.

In response, Kenya banned single-use plastic bags in 2017 and banned all single-use plastic in protected natural sites in 2020. This is part of a larger movement to reduce plastic waste in Africa. The African Union, for example, has set a goal that 50 percent of waste used in African cities be recycled by 2023.

Communities across Africa have also started exploding with locally designed solutions - exploring opportunities to rethink waste management and recycling in ways that also support local economies.

For example, LaBeaud and Kenyan partners launched a nonprofit organization, HERI-Kenya, to engage policymakers, communicate the plastic-disease connection, and build business opportunities that allow for more locals to make a living collecting and recycling trash. This, they hope, can build the foundation for what is known as a circular economy for plastics, where the reuse and recycling of materials create a sustainable system of zero waste.

"When we remove plastic litter, we not only improve local environments - we improve human health, beautify our community, support local entrepreneurs and boost tourism," said Francis Mutuku, a researcher at the Technical University of Mombasa and LaBeaud's long-term collaborator. "Everyone stands to gain."

Yet, despite the will to act, activists and lawmakers in Africa have found that the solution is not as simple as recycling or banning plastics.

One way to tackle our huge plastic pollution problem: Turn it into fuel

With fossil fuels increasingly falling out of favor, actors such as the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and large oil companies are reportedly moving toward a new strategy, opting to turn oil into plastics and distribute them to external markets, including countries in Africa. While the ACC has denied efforts to undermine bans on single-use plastics in places such as Kenya, many of the companies it represents are still expanding their production and distribution of plastics.

Oil and chemical companies were reportedly planning to spend an estimated $400 billion on expanding plastics production as the biggest anticipated driver of oil demand - up to 95 percent by some forecasts - from 2020 to 2024, according to a 2020 Carbon Tracker analysis. From reporting around that same time, almost 350 new chemical plants were being planned in the United States alone.

In 2019, Chevron Phillips Chemical, a joint venture partially owned by Chevron, called petrochemical collaborations with Qatar Petroleum, now called QatarEnergy, "some of the safest and most successful assets in Chevron Phillips Chemical's global portfolio" - including a new $8 billion project to develop a Gulf Coast petrochemical plant.

"From delivering fresh water and preventing food waste to supplying medical products used every day in hospitals worldwide, our materials help people live prosperous and healthy lives," Chevron Phillips Chemical said in an emailed statement.

Chevron's 2021 annual report noted that petrochemical projects on the Gulf Coast and in Qatar were ongoing. In a March presentation to investors, a Chevron executive said that demand and margins for petrochemicals are expected to continue to grow over the long term.

"With growing recognition around the negative health and environmental consequences of plastics, we do need to ask - why produce more?" Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health Director Michele Barry said. "Where are these new chemical plants being built, and which communities are the intended recipients of these products?"

Beyond recycling

Recycling is one of the most talked-about solutions for the plastics crisis.

"ACC supports scaling up advanced recycling," said Stewart Harris, senior director of Global Plastics Policy at the ACC, in an email, referring to recycling technology that breaks down used plastics into their basic building blocks to create new, often reusable, products. "Since 2017, 70 advanced recycling projects representing over $7 billion in investments have been announced or are already operating."

A wide range of companies have begun to invest in improved waste collection and recycling - for example, Chevron Phillips Chemical's investments in circular plastics and Coca-Cola's PETCO campaign in southern and eastern Africa.

"We encourage responsible disposal of PET packaging and recycling of the same to create a circular economy, which has an economic impact on those involved throughout the recycling value-chain," said Scott Leith, a spokesperson for Coca-Cola, who acknowledged that the challenge of plastic waste requires multiple approaches.

While some local community organizations, such as Clean Up Kenya, have criticized Coca-Cola's approach, advocates have noted that initiatives such as this one could allow simultaneous improvements in waste infrastructure, financial incentives for collectors and worker safety.

"Partnerships between governments and the private sector are critical to achieving universal access to waste collection, which forms the foundation of a circular economy," said Harris, in an emailed statement. Other groups such as the Alliance to End Plastic Waste are also trying to engage a variety of companies and organizations to accelerate community-engaged solutions.

Do you wishcycle? If so, you're actually not helping to recycle.

Yet researchers and policymakers have pointed out that recycling is no silver bullet, because of limitations in recycling capability and the environmental costs of producing plastics in the first place.

Moreover, according to a recent Reuters analysis, plastic recycling itself is forestalled by ongoing production: "Less than 10% of plastic is recycled, partly because new plastic produced by the oil industry is so plentiful and cheap." For context, the $7 billion investment in recycling cited by the ACC is less than 2 percent of the $400 billion Carbon Tracker's 2020 analysis ascribed to expanding upstream plastics production.

Kenyan activists, including Clean Up Kenya, are calling for more comprehensive upstream solutions - including banning single-use plastic bottles overall.

A 2020 report by SYSTEMIQ frames plastic collection and recycling as just one dimension of a strategy to reduce 80 percent of plastic pollution by 2040. Other critical channels of action noted in the report include reducing plastic consumption, substituting materials, redesigning products, securely disposing of the near-quarter of plastic that cannot be recycled - and, particularly relevant to Kenya's plastic challenges, reducing "waste exports into countries with low collection and high leakage rates by 90%."

"There is an urgent need to simultaneously rein in plastic production and use in countries at every level of income," Landrigan said.

In line with this, the United Nations Environment Assembly agreed on March 2 to begin writing a global treaty that would restrict the expansion of plastic use. Industry members such as Coca-Cola and the ACC have signaled support for such a treaty in emailed and online statements, saying it would provide needed certainty to industries.

At the same time, some nongovernmental organizations have expressed concern about the treaty's lack of global regulations. The ACC's Harris has said his organization does not support overall caps on plastic production, contending that plastics play a necessary role in providing critical medical services. Health and environmental researchers, however, worry about the enabling of ongoing petrochemical expansion - and the health risks this brings.

"We can't recycle our way out of our global plastic problem," Barry said. "Without a fundamental reimagining of global industrial practices, we will continue to see dire impacts on the climate, the planet and our health."
View 3 more stories Erika Veidis serves as the planetary health program manager for the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health, where she leads the Action Lab for Planetary Health, a program focused on moving Stanford environmental and health research to solutions. Jamie Hansen serves as communications manager for the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health, helping to amplify the work of the center and its fellows through storytelling and multimedia communications.

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Perspective | There's good reason to worry about the health risks of plastics

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Some findings suggest tiny plastic particles could disrupt immune and endocrine systems, damage organs, and cause other health problems.

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URL: https://youtu.be/Tw-Dv_SBbPI?si=QwnuSoi3ik_MdG9z

Title: PH Environment Official: Filipinos should be more informed about waste management

Author: ANC 24/7

Date Published: November 10, 2019

Key Content:

The news segment focuses on how single use plastics and waste management is general is a problem here in the country and affects people in negative ways.

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PH Environment Official: Filipinos should be more informed about waste management

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URL: https://youtu.be/PLrk53Sl4YQ?feature=shared

Title: New study reveals the dangers of inhaling microplastics

Author: Global News

Date Published: June 16, 2023

Key Content:

This news is particularly relevant to the issue in Davao because of the extensive use of plastics there. Microplastics, which are tiny toxic particles originating from plastic degradation and consumer products, are a cause for concern regarding respiratory health as they increasingly infiltrate airways, as highlighted in the news. Studies indicate that humans may inhale significant amounts of microplastics weekly, prompting calls for further research and mitigation measures.

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New study reveals the dangers of inhaling microplastics

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URL: https://climate.gov.ph/public/ckfinder/userfiles/images/ASUP/Artboard%201%20STFP.png

Title: Stop the flow of plastic

Author: Climate Change Commission

Date Published: N.D.

Key Content: The poster is a call to action to stop using plastic, as we produced 8.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic over the decades globally. The more we make plastic, the more carbon emissions we have; because of that, we endanger the health of humans, especially those marginalized communities where most plastics are getiing piled.

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8. PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE OR PROMOTIONAL VIDEO

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8. PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE OR PROMOTIONAL VIDEO

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URL: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/HWXHGpMCg986FkD9/?mibextid=hxI7PO

Title: Selopin

Author: EMB Davao Region

Date Published: June 30, 2023

Key Content: The Video shows the impact of single-use plastic in the Philippines, this video also promotes how to avoid or reduce the use of single-use plastic and promotes the use of reusable bags. This promotional video is important to our society because it shows us what steps we can do to avoid the population of single use plastics that may harm our healths.

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"𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧"

In a powerful one-minute film, "Selopin" shows how our seemingly insignificant daily activities collectively contribute to the alarming issue... | By EMB Davao RegionFacebook

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"𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧"

In a powerful one-minute film, "Selopin" shows how our seemingly insignificant daily activities collectively contribute to the alarming issue...

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URL: https://carboncapturemagazine.com/articles/capturing-co2-emissions-with-plastic-waste?fbclid=IwAR2da7XHSA3TxD788-jgzrTEhV2epf7dxN8227OjssuCYi9awfFJr24JPZU

Title: Capturing CO2 Emissions With Plastic Waste

Author: Paul E. Savas, Wala A. Algozeeb, PH.D., AND Professor James M. Tour

Date Published: November 16, 2023

Key Content: The industrial revolution has led to a rise in CO2 emissions prompted by lawmakers and corporations to set zero carbon emission goals. However, improving CO2 capture adsorbents is a significant obstacle to CCUS deployment. Innovation in sorbent materials and processes is crucial for reducing emissions. Additionally, plastic pollution remains a significant concern, with only a small fraction fully recycled due to current recycling technologies. This connects to our topic because it focuses on zero carbon emission goals because millions of tons of plastics are disposed improperly each year, increase of carbon in our society can harm people's health.

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November 19-20, 2024

SAINT PAUL RIVERCENTRE | SAINT PAUL,MINNESOTA

Produced by Carbon Capture Magazine and BBI International, the National Carbon Capture Conference & Expo is a two-day event designed specifically for companies and organizations advancing technologies and policy that support the removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from all sources, including fossil fuel-based power plants, ethanol production plants and industrial processes, as well as directly from the atmosphere. The program will focus on research, data, trends and information on all aspects of CCUS with the goal to help companies build knowledge, connect with others, and better understand the market and carbon utilization. View More

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Capturing CO2 Emissions with Plastic Waste | Carbon Capture Magazine

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How a simple modification to chemical recycling can make plastic waste capture carbon dioxide

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URL: https://ampliphi.io/how-plastic-pollution-impacts-our-world/

Title: How Plastic Pollution Impacts our World

Author: Noah Godfrey

Date Published: March 8, 2022

Key Content: The blog discusses how plastic pollution affects the world globally, socially, economically, and environmentally. It shows evidence supported by references that plastic pollution affects the well-being of an individual encountering this social problem. This article mentioned that developing countries are in a crucial state as these countries don't have enough infrastructure to support their plastic waste, and the only management option is incineration, which leads to various health risks for people such as developmental disorders, endocrine system disruption, and cancer. This is very alarming, especially in the Philippines, as we are also a developing country and much of the plastic waste is being piled near the marginalized communities.

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So, why is plastic pollution linked to climate change and other social and economic issues? Let's break it down.

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URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI17-U9WlBU&t=144s

Title: END PLASTIC POLLUTION || Social Campaign Vlog ✨ -C. Agbayani

Author: A Dose of Safe Haven

Date Published: January 30, 2021

Key Content: The vlog talks about their social campaign where the vlogger tackles what is plastic pollution, how it affects the well-being of individuals, and how we can foster environmental development. The vlogger explains that the main cause of plastic pollution is the negligence of discipline towards proper waste disposal. As seen in the video, an entire ecosystem is affected by this. Not only that, but seeing improper waste disposal affects how us as human beings normalize improper waste management that can have a long-term generation problem can affect our well-being and future generations to come. Lastly, the vlogger promotes eco-green products and gave a motivational quote in mentioning methods to decrease plastic pollution.

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END PLASTIC POLLUTION || Social Campaign Vlog ✨ -C. Agbayani

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URL: https://web.facebook.com/ProjectPlasticPhilippines/photos/a.106092998141602/106089208141981

Title: Plastic Usage in The Philippines

Author: Project Plastic PH

Date Published: January 21, 2021

Key Content: The data infographic shows an overview of plastic waste issues in the Philippines, including the marginalized communities. The statistics demonstrate the mismanagement of single-use plastics, which amplifies health risks associated with carbon emissions from plastic production and disposal. With single-use plastics like sachets being prevalent and unrecyclable, these communities are more likely to experience heightened exposure to harmful emissions from plastic incineration, which could cause health issues like lung and heart diseases.

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URL: https://www.davaocity.gov.ph/solid-waste-management/dabawenyos-told-to-drop-single-use-plastics-ahead-of-regulating-ordinance/

Title: Dabawenyos told to drop single-use plastics ahead of regulating ordinance

Author: City Government of Davao

Date Published: July 15, 2022

Key Content: City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) is urging all Dabawenyos to start the shift from single-use plastic items, such as plastic cutleries and cups, to their recyclable or biodegradable counterparts because this way we can reduce the plastic population in our society that may cause health risk, this connects to our topic because it implements restriction on a single use plastic that can help to reduce increase of carbon emissions and reduce health risk because of single use plastics.

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14. NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION OR ACADEMIC INSTITUTION ARTICLE

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14. NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION OR ACADEMIC INSTITUTION ARTICLE

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

Title: Philippines, Plastic Pollution Issues

Author: Enviliance ASIA

Date Published: N.D

Key Content: The article is about the issues of plastic pollution in the Philippines, highlighting its harmful effects, underlying factors, and solutions. It identifies the widespread use of single-use plastics, emphasizing its threats to wildlife, health risks, socio-economic sectors, and environmental sustainability. Hence, this affects marginalized communities as they often live in areas with inadequate waste management infrastructure.

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On July 22, 2022, the Philippines enacted the
Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022, Republic Act (RA) No. 11898, which requires enterprises (producers of products generating plastic packaging waste with total assets of P100 million or more) to develop and implement an EPR program and collect plastic packaging.
See more details in the following:
Philippines promulgates an Act introducing EPR for plastic containers and packaging

Based on a study by Jambeck et al. (2015), the Philippines ranked third as the world's greatest plastic waste generator, with the second being Indonesia and China being the first [1]. The Philippines generated an estimated total of 2.7 million metric tons of plastic waste last 2015 [2]. On the other hand, China generated about 48.1 million metric tons of plastic waste in the same year [2]. Even though China generates more plastic waste, the Philippines still contributed the largest amount of global plastic waste to the world's oceans [3]. This is due to the fact that most of the population of the Philippines live near waterways and rivers and in coastal areas. Additionally, coastal cities with urban drainages and paved surfaces and are situated in regions of high precipitation, such as Metro Manila, are observed to emit higher volumes of land-based plastic waste to the oceans [3]. Meijer et al. (2021) calculated that Pasig River is the top contributing river of marine plastic waste, and it is located in Metro Manila, a megacity located along Manila Bay [3]. It contributes to the 6.43% of the total plastic waste found in the oceans [4]. Also, the Philippines is a tropical country, and it receives high volumes of precipitation every year [5]. Surface run-off, storm water, and sewage due to precipitation carry the plastic debris on land to the rivers, which in turn carries the plastics to the seas and oceans [6]. Seven of the top ten of the most plastic polluted rivers in world are found in the Philippines. A total of 4820 rivers in the Philippines emit around 356,371 million metric tons of plastic waste to the ocean annually, followed by India with a total of 1169 rivers emitting 126.513 million metric tons of plastic waste per year [3].

EFFECTS OF PLASTIC POLLUTION

Aside from being an unattractive sight in the environment, plastics can impose severe dangers to wildlife. Marine organisms are observed to ingest and be entangled to various plastic wastes found in the ocean. These can cause external and internal injuries and blockages in their digestive tracts and airways which can eventually cause their deaths [7-9]. Plastics are also observed to absorb and adsorb contaminants, like persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, and many more, from the surrounding water, which can facilitate the entry of the toxic substances inside the organisms that ingest them [8, 10]. Most of the plastics used are buoyant, which means that they can be easily transported by wind and surface currents. The plastics, together with the contaminants they carry, can expose the organisms living in areas far from their production and usage sites, like Antarctica, to harmful substances [11]. Plastic wastes in bodies of water can also affect the livelihood of the people who depend on them, such as fishermen. Some fishermen in the Philippines reported that sometimes they catch more plastic than fish in a day [12]. Aside from plastics causing lower fish yields in water bodies, plastics thrown in waterways worsen the frequent flooding experienced in Metro Manila as the wastes block the passage of water. Plastic wastes in beaches can also affect the tourism industry as scattered garbage can spoil the view of the sceneries [13].

FACTORS AFFECTING THE PLASTIC POLLUTION IN THE PHILIPPINES

The usage of single-use plastics is rampant in the Philippines. This is because corporations package their products in sachets to reach and accommodate the poor sector of the Filipino population. People from low-income families do not have enough budget to purchase products, such as shampoo, soap, instant food, etc., in bulk so they opt to buy their daily necessities in small amounts in sachets as they cost lower and are more affordable [12, 14]. Food bought from stores are packaged in single-use plastic bags and Styrofoam and are usually purchased with disposable plastic cups, bottles, straws, and utensils [14]. Plastics are widely used because they are durable, cheap, and easily produced [15]. Single-use plastics are preferred due to their affordability and convenience [16]. The COVID-19 pandemic aggravated the disposal of single-use plastic in the Philippines. Due to the lockdowns and the work-from-home situation of many of the citizens, online shopping, food takeaways, and food deliveries became the norm as going outside can increase the chances of acquiring the virus. Single-use packaging are used in these services to avoid the spread of the virus. Gloves, face masks, and face shields are also single-use and are thrown away immediately after use and cannot be reused due to the risk of infection [17, 18].

The Philippines has a high garbage collection rate, especially in urban areas (around 85-90%), which may be due to the involvement of local communities in waste-collection services. Although, rural areas have lower garbage collection rates (about 40%) due to lack of passable roads and rugged terrain. Even with generally high garbage collection rates, many of the plastic wastes still leak into the ocean because of improper disposal [2, 14]. Segregation is not usually practiced in the households in the Philippines. Their reason is that they see that many of the garbage collectors just mix everything up in the garbage truck during collection. This is due to the lack of enforcement [19] of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, which is the key legislation for the collection, disposal, transport, storage, and treatment of solid wastes in the Philippines [20]. This law was enacted around 20 years ago and has mandated that dumpsites should be prohibited and be converted into sanitary landfills by 2006, but as of 2016, there are still 403 open dumpsites and 108 controlled dumpsites in operation [21]. Furthermore, many of the dumpsites are situated adjacent to waterways and rivers and also in close proximity to coasts. These dumpsites have little to no infrastructure to control leakage of waste and leachate into the adjacent water bodies [2]. There is also a lack of waste disposal facilities, material recovery facilities, recycling plants, and sanitary landfills due to poorly resourced and funded local government units and lack of space in the congested cities [13, 14]. Private hauler companies do illegal dumping or also known as hauler dumping. Some of the trash haulers unload the garbage en route to reduce expenses on fuel and landfill fees and to save time. Local rivers and tributaries are the usual sites for the illegal dumping [2, 14]. Formal recycling systems are lacking in the Philippines, but informal recycling systems - in the form of waste pickers - are widespread. About 80% of the plastic waste are low-value (plastic films, sachets, and bags) and most of these end up in the ocean as the waste pickers focus only on high-value plastics, such as PET and HDPE [2, 14]. High value plastics are easier to recognize and can be sold in higher prices in junk shops which is why waste pickers focus on these more. Also, there is very limited technology and infrastructure in the Philippines that can recycle low-value plastics [14]. Waste pickers are exposed to various health hazards and have low wages and poor working conditions, but some people consider this as their main source of livelihood [2].

RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTIONS TO REDUCE PLASTIC POLLUTION IN THE PHILIPPINES

Plastic wastes in municipalities are mostly managed by their local government units. Since many cities struggle to look for funding, last 2017, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources pushed for the establishment of cluster sanitary landfills to save financial resources [21]. Aside from the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, there are no other laws that specifically regulate the use of plastic [16]. The government should pass laws regarding the regulation and management of single-use plastics and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy approach. There are bills introduced already regarding these last 2018 and 2020, respectively, but to date, they still have not been passed as laws yet [22, 23]. The EPR is defined by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as the policy approach that refers to the responsibility of producers, such as companies and manufacturers, in the post-consumer stage, or the disposal and treatment, of the life cycle of a product [24]. This policy scheme can already be observed in some of the countries of the European Union [23]. This can inspire companies to create more environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging and reduce the production of sachet and other single-use plastics.

Proper implementation and enforcement of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act should be done so segregation of wastes and proper retrieval and transportation of plastic wastes to landfills can be achieved. Awareness campaigns can also be done so segregation of waste in households can be accomplished, which can greatly help with the treatment and recycling of plastic wastes.

Foreign companies, such as Japanese companies, can partner with the government and local companies for the establishment of sanitary landfills, recycling plants, and materials recovery facilities. Currently, there are only five recycling companies in the Philippines and 10,730 materials recovery facilities, which can only cater to 33.3% of the total municipalities in the country [14, 17]. Plastic waste generation has been steadily increasing throughout the years and due to the large volume of plastic waste the Philippines generate, even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the lack of resources and funding of local government units, sanitary landfills, recycling plants, and materials recovery facilities can be a great business opportunity to be tapped on by foreign companies. An example of this is the Mondelez International, a food manufacturer giant, who collaborated with the Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Materials Sustainability (PARMS) for the construction of a recycling facility in Parañaque City, Metro Manila [14].

Additional business ideas that can help curb the plastic pollution problem in the Philippines are the construction of refill stations, promotion of the usage of reusable containers in shopping, and manufacturing of alternatives to plastic packaging that are more sustainable and environment friendly that can be used by companies.

Partnerships can be made between Japanese companies and the Philippine government and local companies for the realization of these business projects. This can strengthen the relationship of Japan and the Philippines as well as help reduce the plastic pollution problems of the Philippines.

NOTE:
On January 31, 2022, the House of Representatives of the Philippines, in its third (and final) reading, approved a bill institutionalizing the practice of extended producer responsibility (EPR) on plastic products (House Bill No. 10696, the Extended Producer Responsibility Bill of 2022).

On May 26, 2022, the House of Representatives approved a final bill to reconcile inconsistencies in House Bill No. 10696 and Senate Bill No. 2425 introducing EPR for plastic products.
Philippines Awaits Presidential Signature of Bill to Introduce EPR for Plastic Products

REFERENCES

1. Jambeck JR, Geyer R, Wilcox C, et al (2015). Plastic waste inputs from land into the Ocean. Science (80- ) 347:768-771

2. McKinsey Center for Business and Environment (2015). Stemming the Tide: Land-based strategies for a plastic-free ocean

3. Meijer LJJ, van Emmerik T, van der Ent R, et al (2021). More than 1000 rivers account for 80% of global riverine plastic emissions into the ocean. Sci Adv 7:1-14. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaz5803

4. Manahan J (2021). Philippines contributes to over one-third of world's ocean plastic waste - study. In: ABS-CBN News. https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/10/21/philippines-global-plastic-problem-study Accessed 26 Jul 2021

5. Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (2021) Climate of the http://bagong.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/information/climate-philippines Accessed 27 Jul 2021

6. Li Y, Zhang H, Tang C (2020) A review of possible pathways of marine microplastics transport in the ocean. Anthr Coasts 3:6-13. https://doi.org/10.1139/anc-2018-0030

7. da Costa JP, Santos PSM, Duarte AC, Rocha-Santos T (2016) (Nano)plastics in the environment - Sources, fates and effects. Sci Total Environ 566- 567:15-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2016.05.041

8. Khalid N, Aqeel M, Noman A, et al (2021) Linking effects of microplastics to ecological impacts in marine environments. Chemosphere 264:128541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128541

9. Lusher A (2015) Microplastics in the Marine Environment: Distribution, Interactions and In: Marine Anthropogenic Litter. pp 245-307

10. Khare S (2019) Microplastic Pollution: An Overview of Current Scenario, Challenges, and Research Gaps. Adv Biotechnol Microbiol 12:14-17. https://doi.org/10.19080/aibm.2019.12.555836

11. Obbard RW (2018) Microplastics in Polar Regions: The role of long range transport. Curr Opin Environ Sci Heal 1:24-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.COESH.2017.10.004

12. Alegado J (2020) Philippines: Banning Single-Use Plastics at the National Level and Strengthening Existing Laws Needed to Curb Plastic Pollution In: Heinrich Boll Stift. Southeast Asia. https://th.boell.org/en/2020/01/20/philippines-banning-single-use-plastics-national-level-and-strengthening-existing-laws Accessed 26 Jul 2021

13. Sea Circular (2020) Country Profile: The Philippines. https://www.sea-circular.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SEA-circular-Country-Briefing_THE-PHILIPPINES.pdf Accessed 26 Jul 2021

14. Fernandez HA (2020) Why plastic-clogged Philippines must face up to dearth of waste disposal and recycling. In: Eco-Business. https://www.eco-com/news/why-plastic-clogged-philippines-must-face-up-to-dearth-of-waste-disposal-and-recycling/ Accessed 26 Jul 2021

15. Geyer R, Jambeck JR, Law KL (2017) Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever Sci Adv 3:e1700782. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1700782

16. Rey A (2019) Sachet away: What's lacking in our plastic laws? In: Rappler. https://rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/lacking-plastic-laws-philippines Accessed 26 Jul 2021

17. Gozum I (2020) A long-term plan to fix the Philippines' plastic waste problem. In: Rappler. https://rappler.com/environment/plan-fix-philippines-plastic-problem Accessed 27 Jul 2021

18. Leal Filho W, Salvia AL, Minhas A, et al (2021) The COVID-19 pandemic and single-use plastic waste in households: A preliminary study. Sci Total Environ 793:148571. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148571

19. Gozum I (2020) Communities bear the weight of the Philippines' plastic waste problem. In: Rappler. https://rappler.com/environment/tackling-plastic-waste-from-communities Accessed 26 Jul 2021

20. The Philippine Government (2001) Republic Act No. 9003. https://officialgazette.gov.ph/2001/01/26/republic-act-no-9003-s-2001/?fbclid=IwAR3kWoukWpZcNaEcNApPPq8fLN9hqTCUNNgz8BHuhdc7McqeCF4jvOhQboU Accessed 20 Apr 2021

21. Senate of the Philippines (2017) Philippine Solid Wastes. http://legacy.senate.gov.ph/publications/SEPO/AAG_PhilippineSolidWastes_Nov2017.pdf Accessed 28 Jul 2021

22. The Philippine Government (2018) Single-Use Plastics Regulation and Management Act. http://legacy.senate.gov.ph/lisdata/2840924753!.pdf Accessed 26 Jul 2021

23. The Philippine Government (2020) Extended Producers Responsibility Act of 2020. http://legacy.senate.gov.ph/lisdata/3233029181!.pdf Accessed 28 Jul 2021

24. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2001) Extended producer responsibility. https://oecd.org/env/tools-evaluation/extendedproducerresponsibility.htm Accessed 28 Jul 2021

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# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Philippines, Plastic Pollution Issues | Enviliance ASIA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On July 22, 2022, the Philippines enacted the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022, Republic Act (RA) No. 11898, which requires enterprises (producers of products generating plastic packaging waste with total assets of P100 million or more) to develop and implement an EPR program and collect plastic packaging.

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6bkvZsZ0ThOXGHtIO0LSpm?si=d36cb170042a416b

Title: The Green Report: Why should you care about plastics in our seas?

Author: The Green Report

Date Published: June 2022

Key Content: The podcast talks about plastic pollution affecting marine life and the profession of fishermen in Zamboanga. The interviewers and the fisherman interviewee have a discourse conversation about plastic pollution and the underlying causes of plastic pollution. How plastic pollution affects not only the profession of fishermen but also the people who will be eating the captured seafood of the fishermen. In addition, they talked about the lack of awareness regarding environmental implementation in one of the communities of Zamboanga and how they can further solidify the law infrastructure of the community to engage & take the initiative. This issue is present not only in Zamboanga but also in Davao City, as other schools have yet to include the essential aspects of the environment in their curriculum. As well as the Government to further implement laws, strengthen their patrol of the vast land of Davao City, and be bold in terms of violating environmental development. Lastly, is how the community will be able to follow policies & etiquette, as well as to boost engagement and be consistent for environmental development.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Episode 4: Why should you care about plastics in our seas?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Listen to this episode from The Green Report on Spotify. Plastic pollution is a real threat to the environment, and probably no other sector feels its impact than our fisherfolk.

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://youtu.be/138HSRUdhwE

Title: Ang Huling Plastic - Documentary Film

Author: Greenpeace Philippines

Date Published: April 26, 2021

Key Content: "Ang Huling Plastic" is a documentary film that digs deep into the problem caused by single-use plastics. It shows how these single-use plastics are harming our environment. When microplastics end up in oceans, marine animals ingest them, and with the food chain, humans also ingest microplastics by eating seafood. They have also said that every year, a single person gets to eat one credit card size of plastic, which could also explain the rising rates of cancers in the country.

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://youtu.be/3RxBIu-cd_Y

Title: The Problem with Plastics | Patricia Villarrubia-Gómez | TED

Author: Patricia Villarrubia-Gómez

Date Published: August 25, 2022

Key Content: Patricia Villarrubia-Gomez, a plastic pollution researcher, talked about the consequences of producing all these plastics at every stage, from fossil fuel extraction to the disposal of single-use plastics in landfills. She explains how plastic causes carbon emissions and how it affects human health. It affects marginalized communities, who often bear the brunt of environmental degradation caused by plastic production and disposal. They are more likely to live in areas with high pollution levels, including proximity to landfills, incinerators, or industrial facilities involved in plastic production.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Problem with Plastics | Patricia Villarrubia-Gómez | TED

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.google.com.ph/books/edition/Handbook_of_Research_on_Environmental_an/I6A7wQEACAAJ?hl=en

Title: Environmental and Human Health Impacts of Plastic Pollution

Author: Khursheed Ahmad Wani, Lutfah Ariana, S. M. Zuber

Date Published: July 17, 2019

Key Content: This book talks about the impact of poor waste management and plastic population in human health and this book is a collection of innovative research that assesses the negative impacts of plastic on the environment, human health, and ecosystems, and explores biotechnological approaches to solve plastic pollution. While highlighting topics including medical wastes, biodegradability, and phthalate exposure . This book connects to our topic because it shows the impacts of plastic population and poor waste management to our human health and marginalized communities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Due to the non-biodegradability of plastic substances, coupled with poor waste management practices, plastic pollution has become a major environmental issue within the past decade. However, the negative effects of plastic pollution are rarely opposed, or the solutions proposed are costly or still damaging to the environment. New strategies must be undertaken to prevent irreparable environmental damage from disposable plastic products while maintaining and maximizing the benefits of plastics in specialized cases, such as medicine and public health. The Handbook of Research on Environmental and Human Health Impacts of Plastic Pollution is a collection of innovative research that assesses the negative impacts of plastic on the environment, human health, and ecosystems, and explores biotechnological approaches to solve plastic pollution. While highlighting topics including medical wastes, biodegradability, and phthalate exposure, this publication intends to provide readers with the latest solutions for reducing the burden of plastic on the environment. It is ideally designed for environmentalists, policymakers, instructors, researchers, graduate-level students, industrialists, and non-governmental organization professionals seeking current research on health and ecosystem concerns from the overconsumption of plastics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Handbook of Research on Environmental and Human Health Impacts of Plastic Pollution

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Due to the non-biodegradability of plastic substances, coupled with poor waste management practices, plastic pollution has become a major environmental issue within the past decade. However, the negative effects of plastic pollution are rarely opposed, or the solutions proposed are costly or still damaging to the environment.

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/4/2419

Title: Optimal Process Network for Integrated Solid Waste Management in Davao City, Philippines

Author: Kristine Faye Olalo, Jun Nakatani, Tsuyoshi Fujita

Date Published: February 20, 2022

Key Content: The research paper showed different ways for Davao City to manage its garbage. This research also focused on reducing carbon emissions, which led them to One of the ways, which is balancing the separation of plastic waste and burning it. If we can reduce the carbon emission of plastic pollution, then we can also reduce the health risk of humans, especially in marginalized communities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Optimal Process Network for Integrated Solid Waste Management in Davao City, Philippines

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) systems in developing countries adopt practices from developed countries to reduce their environmental burdens. However, several complex issues specific to developing countries hinder the full implementation of these practices. The future of MSWM in Davao City…

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/06/special-series/vik-muniz-brazil-garbage-art.html

Title: Reframing Trash into Art

Author: Vik Muniz

Date Published: December 6, 2023

Key Content: The artist, Vik Muniz, discusses how his experience at the landfill influenced his artwork, particularly in creating portraits from recycled garbage to produce art inspired by the garbage dump. The artist's work teaches us the transformative potential of creativity in addressing environmental and social issues, encouraging reflection on consumption habits, and advocating for systemic change.

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A garbage dump and a museum’s burned remains reveal the importance placed on the items we collect and discard.