On August 25, 2026, BAN Toxics’ Policy Development and Research Team and volunteers conducted a waste audit of materials collected from the Meycauayan River in Bulacan as part of its collaboration with The Ocean Cleanup.
The audit contributes to ongoing efforts to examine the types and quantities of waste entering and moving through the Meycauayan River, providing evidence that can inform more targeted river-interception strategies that prevent plastic waste from reaching the ocean.
The team segregated the waste gathered by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) and TUPAD river rangers into their respective categories. Morphometric measurements were taken for organic bycatch (e.g., water hyacinths and some small animals), while inorganic waste was further classified according to the types of plastic and other materials present. Each category was weighed and systematically recorded to establish a baseline profile of the collected waste.
In July 2026, The Ocean Cleanup, in partnership with the City of Meycauayan and supported by CENRO, deployed its first Interceptor barrier in the Meycauayan River to strengthen efforts to capture and remove ocean-bound plastic pollution before it reaches Manila Bay.
The Meycauayan River is a critical waterway and one of the major rivers draining into Manila Bay, receiving runoff from approximately 98% of the Bulacan River Basin. The Ocean Cleanup estimates that 20,000-33,000 tonnes of plastic waste enter the ocean from the Philippines annually, with 3,500-4,400 tonnes projected to come from the Manila Bay region alone, underscoring the urgent need for effective solutions to reduce ocean plastic pollution.