Urgent Call to Action Against Plastic Pollution in the Philippines
This year’s Earth Day celebration in the Philippines aims to raise awareness about the indestructibility of plastic and the hazards they pose to human health, ecosystems, and climate action efforts.
Photo by Naja Bertolt Jensen on Unsplash
Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga has issued an urgent call to action on Earth Day, emphasizing the deadly threat of plastic pollution.
Loyzaga expressed her concern that the Philippines is “literally swimming” in plastics and highlighted the need for immediate action.
As the head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), she urged the nation to make a choice between acting today or letting plastic waste determine their tomorrow.
The Scale of Plastic Waste in the Philippines
Loyzaga revealed that the Philippines produces approximately 2.7 million tons of plastic waste each year. Unfortunately, a significant portion of this waste ends up in landfills, dumps, rivers, and water supply systems. Shockingly, around 20 percent of the plastic waste finds its way into the oceans. Loyzaga emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that during rainy seasons, the country is literally swimming in plastic.
The Indestructibility of Plastics and Their Hazards
This year’s Earth Day celebration in the Philippines aims to raise awareness about the indestructibility of plastics and the hazards they pose to human health, ecosystems, and climate action efforts. Loyzaga issued a warning about the presence of microplastics in various forms, such as raindrops, fish caught at sea, substandard water bottles, and even the air we breathe.
Microplastics are defined as plastic debris that has broken down into minuscule pieces smaller than five millimeters. However, conclusive studies are yet to determine the full extent of the destructive impact these ubiquitous materials may h
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