Svelte · D3.js · Philippines · 2023

Plastic
Oceans

How one nation became responsible
for a third of the world's ocean plastic.

By Ryan Liwag · Data: Our World in Data

Every year, nearly a million tonnes of plastic enters the world's oceans. It breaks down into microplastics, poisons marine life, and releases greenhouse gases as it degrades. The consequences are global — but the sources are remarkably concentrated.

This story follows that plastic from source to sea — and zeroes in on the country that contributes more than any other: the Philippines. The data is drawn from Our World in Data's 2019 global plastic waste dataset.

A Crisis Measured in Millions

Each dot represents 1,000 tonnes of mismanaged plastic that entered the ocean in 2019. Nearly a million tonnes — from 43 countries — in a single frame.

80% Comes from Asia

Rearranged as a grid, the proportion becomes undeniable. Four in five dots are Asian — a direct consequence of rapid urbanization, dense coastal populations, and the sachet economy.

Concentrated in One Corner

Mapped by country location, the cluster is stark. Southeast Asia — a small sliver of the globe — accounts for the overwhelming majority of ocean-bound plastic.

Five Countries. Half the Problem.

Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand together account for 54% of all plastic emitted into the ocean. Dense coastlines, rapid economic growth, overwhelmed waste systems.

One Country. One Third.

The Philippines alone is responsible for roughly one-third of all mismanaged ocean plastic globally. The sachet — a single-use pouch — is both a lifeline for low-income households and an ecological debt that compounds every year.

Wealth Isn't the Answer

Malaysia and the Philippines emit far more plastic per capita than China or the USA — despite lower GDP. The driver is structural: waste infrastructure has not kept pace with economic growth.

Mismanaged plastic waste by country — 2019

The Rivers Behind the Crisis

7 of the top 10 plastic-emitting rivers
in the world are in the Philippines.

80% of ocean plastic originates from rivers. The Pasig River alone — running through the heart of Metro Manila — accounts for over 6% of all global ocean plastic. Rapid urbanization, proximity to waterways, and high rainfall create a near-perfect pipeline from city waste to open sea.

Top 20 rivers by share of global ocean plastic. Philippine rivers highlighted in orange. Source: Meijer et al. (2021), Science.

What comes next

The sachet is the problem.
And the answer.

Legislation

RA 9003 holds companies accountable for their waste — but says nothing specific about sachets. The Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022 takes a step further, requiring producers to recover a percentage of their plastic footprint.

Circular Economy

Building a true circular economy for sachets remains difficult — high electricity and logistics costs make recycling economically unviable without subsidy. But pilot programs in Quezon City and Marikina are proving it can be done at scale.

Corporate Responsibility

Unilever, Nestlé, and P&G — the largest sachet producers in the Philippines — have committed to biodegradable materials and take-back programs. But sachets remain cheaper to produce than alternatives, and low-income consumers depend on them.

Trash to Cash

Several Philippine cities now run buyback programs that pay residents for collected sachets. These programs attempt to create an economic incentive for proper disposal — and early results are promising.

Data: Our World in Data — Global Plastic Waste (2019). Rivers: Meijer et al. (2021), Science. Story built with Svelte, D3.js.

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