Sungai Watch’s Post

66 Tonnes of Plastic Waste Collected at Kedonganan Beach – Bali Ten days of cleaning up Kedonganan Beach, and we have successfully collected 66,339 kg of waste! Despite heavy rains and rising tides, we worked around the clock to clear the shoreline of Jimbaran. This cleanup is a snapshot of why it is so important to stop plastic in rivers before it goes out into the ocean. -Sungai Watch https://lnkd.in/gePQ4iPc #Coastal #CoastalNews #CoastalProtection

A team of waterway rangers in Manila diligently remove plastic waste from the city's tributaries, striving to foster a cleaner environment for their community. Despite being home to over 14 million people, only 60 percent of the city's rubbish is collected, sorted, and recycled daily. The Pasig River, which courses through the capital and into Manila Bay, stands out as the most polluted waterway globally. The Philippines grapples with significant challenges in waste management and consumption patterns, contributing significantly to ocean plastic pollution. The prevalence of sachets exacerbates the issue, leading to the obstruction of waterways and endangerment of marine life. While legislative efforts aim to tackle the problem, effective implementation remains a formidable challenge. https://t.ly/aGynm  

Inspired by the fight against plastic pollution in Davao City, Philippines, the Bantay Dagat Volunteers Association is transforming a community challenge into a sustainable solution. They collect coastal plastic waste and create eco-friendly construction materials, generating income for volunteers while mitigating environmental damage. This innovative approach highlights the power of community action, but also the need for support in scaling production and securing resources. https://t.co/46SdIRLUKf   

The first export of baled PET waste from Male’ for recycling, marks a milestone in plastic waste management across the Maldives. Waste Management Corporation Limited (WAMCO) and Maldives Ocean Plastics Alliances, supported by The Coca-Cola Foundation, are building the infrastructure needed for efficient PET collection and recycling as part of the Sustainable Island Waste Management And Plastic Recycling Initiative. Their efforts include expanding plastic collection systems, rolling out essential infrastructure like balers, pickups, and compactors and empowering communities with education on waste segregation. #Sustainability #WasteManagement #Recycling #Empowering #Communities

At the mouth of the Motagua River, an alarming 40 million pounds of trash flows into the ocean every year. Severe pollution of the river is largely attributed to inadequate waste management infrastructure and limited public awareness about the causes of plastic pollution. “Every 60 seconds, a dump truck full of plastic is entering the ocean” explains Alex Schulze, co-founder of 4ocean, a US-based startup that wants to end plastic pollution. Founded in 2017, 4ocean collects trash from oceans, rivers, and coastlines, transforming it into products like bracelets, building materials, and fuel. The company, with teams in Guatemala, Florida, and Indonesia, has collected over 37 million tons of trash since its inception. In Guatemala, 4ocean has implemented a floating barrier 30 miles upstream from the Motagua River's mouth to capture debris before it reaches the bay, while local crews are engaged in cleanup efforts. 4ocean’s work underscores the scale of plastic pollution and the importance of prevention. At Take 3 for the Sea, we believe that addressing the problem starts with reducing plastic at its source. Simple actions like taking three pieces of rubbish with you, cutting down on single-use plastics, and encouraging others to do the same can significantly reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and our oceans. Image credit: 4ocean/Clynton Guzman #take3forthesea #guatamale #river #plastic

This is very disturbing, why can't we humans be a little sensitive to not throw or dump our wastes in the sea or ocean. We are ruining the life below water. Oceans cover over 70% of our planet and are home to countless species, yet human activities threaten their health. Every year, millions of tons of waste find their way into these vital waters, endangering ecosystems and human communities. Actions to be taken: 1. For Individuals: Reduce plastic use, recycle properly, avoid littering, and support eco-friendly products. 2. For Businesses: Adopt sustainable practices, reduce packaging waste, and invest in clean technologies. 3. For Governments: Enforce strict regulations, promote renewable energy, and fund clean-up initiatives. "The health of our oceans is in our hands. Let’s act now to create a cleaner, thriving blue planet". #Sustainability #Lifebelowwater #SDG #CircularEconomies 💦🌊🌍🌎🌏

It Is possible

This is something you never see for glass packaging. In most cases the glass is recycled in the developed world (or let’s say offered for recycling and collected as waste), and, in any case, it does not have the properties to create a mess like this. I also doesn’t float (except for the occasional ‘message in a bottle’ perhaps?😀) and therefore does not accumulate like this. Actually, if somehow deposited such glass waste to the sea, it would sink and over many years return the natural materials back to the earth. But crucially not entering the food chain like plastic does via sea food). Despite this, it seems that the popularity of plastic packaging is still in the rise and demand for glass is down. I know there are many plastic packaging fans here on LinkedIn. But surely they must feel at least a certain amount of shame when they see the many posts we see here, like this one? Or maybe not? Of course they will point to the theory that plastic is recyclable. But clearly it’s not happening and it’s not even being contained well enough simple as “waste”! Plastic is a packaging material that is out of control both from both a visible and invisible perspective (via micro plastics we ingest). But it’s one that is also in proliferation right now! I think there are many things we don’t do the right thing about, and usually money is at the root of it. But of course there will be many logical reasons (aka excuses) proposed by the fans of plastics packaging and maybe that also helps then to sleep at night? Sleep well my glass friends, we need to find no such excuses 👍.

I took this picture in Santo Domingo in October 2022. The Dominican Republic is Latin America's 4th (and world's 16th) biggest ocean plastic polluter. Its effects are astoundingly visible, even on its capital's coastline, where one can see beaches completely covered with plastic. This waste is mostly transported by the Ozama River from humble neighborhood areas in Santo Domingo Norte and Santo Domingo Este. In these areas there are hardly any garbage collection systems available and some of their residents throw their garbage away in the river or in their backyards where wind and rain end up taking them to the river which carries all this waste (mostly composed of plastic) to the ocean. Globally, 11 million metric tons of plastic waste end up in the oceans every year. This year, the theme for Earth Day is "Planet vs Plastics", and organisers want the world to use 60% less plastic by 2040. So, how can the world use less plastic, and what would life look like with 60% less plastic? #LinkedInNewsEurope #plasticpollution #plasticwaste #plasticfreeoceans #beachplastic