ADAMSON UNIVERSITY

THE IMPACT OF PLASTIC USAGE:

INSTIGATING FLOOD IN METRO MANILA

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Subjext
Science, Technology, and Society

Submitted by:

GROUP 2
Heilie B. Calanoc
Kyle Capiral
Bea Catapang
Nerissa Cayubit
Keanna Csthea Corpus
Christian Benedict Chny

Submitted to:

Professor Rodel Fadri

December 7, 2023
 CHAPTER 3
Action Proposal

Rationale

The Philippines has a long history of being exposed to natural hazards and disasters; the
country is among the most vulnerable to a wide range of disasters globally. According to some
estimates, the Philippines is the third most vulnerable country in the world to weather-related risk.
Each year, the archipelago is hit by five typhoons, some of which cause significant damage.
(Guilberto Borongan, 2022)

Manila Bay, situated in Manila, is where problems arising from plastic pollution are of
great national importance and thus make headlines globally, as unmanaged plastic waste has
increasing economic and environmental consequences. According to Meijer et al. (2021), the Pasig
River is the leading contributor to marine waste composed of plastic, and it is situated in Metro
Manila, an immense municipality located along Manila Bay. It accounts for 6.43% of all plastic
waste collected from the oceans. (Lourens J. Meijer L., 2021)

Several studies predict that there will be an excess of plastics in the world's oceans in the
coming years. Given this risk and projections, the researchers concentrated their study on the
impact of plastic usage and the major cause of flooding. To raise awareness and encourage people
in the Philippines, particularly in Metro Manila, to be mindful when using plastic, to provide
alternative materials that can be used instead of plastic, and to discuss the solutions and actions
required to reduce plastic waste.

Proposed Actions

Invest in the development and production of compostable bioplastics. They are a promising
alternative that can reduce the reliance on conventional plastics, which can persist in the
environment for centuries and contribute to plastic pollution in waterways and drainage
systems. Thus, by supporting this, Metro Manila can encourage the adoption of it for various
applications, such as packaging and disposable items. Diversifying the material
choices to minimize the potential for plastic blockages that can exacerbate flooding.

Initiative towards the enforcement of “reuse and refill” system by major retailers and
supermarkets. Single-use sachets are sold every second and they accumulate about 80% of plastic
wastes scattered throughout the streets and clogged waterways. With the “reuse and refill” system,
retailers encourage consumers to switch to reusable containers, whether it be plastic, cloth, or
glass, whenever they shop for groceries. In this system, products are displayed in large containers
and consumers get to refill to their liking, guides are also visible to help them navigate through the
store and shop effortlessly. This action aims to lessen plastic waste consumption through minimal
use of product packaging.

Waste-to-Floodwall. A tech-driven community initiative tackles plastic waste and flooding in

Metro Manila by combining smart bins, a mobile app, blockchain-based tracking, and community
engagement to efficiently collect and recycle plastic, transforming it into floodwalls in vulnerable
areas, mitigating flood risks and creating job opportunities.

Creating Plastic Pollution Prediction Models. Building Prediction Models for Plastic Pollution.
In Manila, plastic pollution prediction models can be quite useful since they allow for preemptive
steps to be taken to lessen the effects. These models can assist in locating high-risk areas,
organizing focused cleanup initiatives, and putting rules in place to cut back on the use of plastic.
It also offers insightful information and useful data that can be used to educate the public and
encourage sustainable habits in the community in order to stop additional pollution.

Encourage social initiatives. Waste is the underlying cause of the issue that needs to be addressed.
Illegal littering is the reason for clogged drains and causing floods after heavy rainfall. Our actions
will help our community understand the situation, well-written speeches and articles won't. As our
duty, we must make an effort to make them feel as though they are missing something, since once
they understand the harm that the garbage waste may do to them, they will not do the same mistake
on purpose.
References

Buijzen F. et al. (n.d.). The advantages of compostable bioplastics for the circular economy. Total
Energies-Corbion.com. https://www.totalenergies-corbion.com/media/drkkiy2i/whitepaper-the-
advantages-of-compostable-bioplastics-for-a-circular-economy.pdf

Srivastava, D. (2020, July 30). Reuse and refill: The model that will help consumers quit single-
use plastics. StrategyBusiness.com. https://www.strategy-business.com/article/Reuse-and-refill-
The-model-that-will-help-consumers-quit-single-use-plastics

Borongan, G. (2022, August). Factors in enhancing environmental governance for marine plastic
litter abatement in Manila, the Philippines: A combined structural equation modeling and DPSIR
framework. ScienceDirect.com.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X22006026