The Microplastics in Metro Manila Rivers: Characteristics, Sources, and Abatement

Microplastics, which are considered as emerging contaminants, have been reported to be leaked to the open environment on a global scale. Few studies have been conducted on the occurrence of microplastics on several water bodies in the country given the fa

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Contents 1 Introduction 2 Microplastics in Metro Manila Rivers 2.1 Study Area 2.2 Abundance of Microplastics in Surface Waters and Sediments 2.3 Characteristics and Possible Sources of the Microplastics 3 Solid Waste Management Regulatory Framework 3.1 Republic Act 9003: The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act 3.2 Local Ordinances 3.3 Regulations on Incineration and Open Burning 4 Solid Waste Management in Metro Manila 4.1 Generation 4.2 Segregation at Source 4.3 Collection 4.4 Recycling and Diversion Activities 4.5 Disposal 5 Moving Forward to Prevent Plastic Pollution References

Abstract Microplastics, which are considered as emerging contaminants, have been reported to be leaked to the open environment on a global scale. Few studies have been conducted on the occurrence of microplastics on several water bodies in the country given the fact that the Philippines is considered to be the third largest contributor of plastics in oceans. This chapter described the composition and distribution of plastic wastes and quantified and characterized microplastics in terms of M. A. N. Tanchuling (*) Institute of Civil Engineering, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines e-mail: [email protected] E. D. Osorio Environmental Engineering Program, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines e-mail: [email protected] Friederike Stock, Georg Reifferscheid, Nicole Brennholt, and Evgeniia Kostianaia (eds.), Plastics in the Aquatic Environment - Part I: Current Status and Challenges, Hdb Env Chem, DOI 10.1007/698_2020_659, © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020

M. A. N. Tanchuling and E. D. Osorio

shape and polymer type in several rivers especially within Metro Manila draining to two of the most economically important water bodies, the Manila Bay and the Laguna de Bay. Extracted microplastics in sampling sites are mostly fragments derived from larger plastics (secondary microplastics) which signified the importance of an efficient solid waste management to reduce the leakage of the plastic waste and microplastics to the open environment. Keywords Metro Manila, Microplastics, Rivers, Solid waste management, Waste analysis and characterization

1 Introduction According to a previous study [1], it is estimated that the Philippines contributed a total of 1.88 million metric tons (MMT)/year of plastic waste to oceans as of 2010, making the country the third largest contributor of plastics in the ocean globally. The estimation is based on factors such as population, waste collection rates, economic status, and the population’s proximity to coastal areas. Plastic wastes can be fragmented into smaller particles called microplastics (