Paradise vs plastics

Two kilometers off the bustling metropolis of Davao City lies an unparalleled paradise called Samal Island. Famed for its white beaches that draw both local and foreign visitors, the island sees tourism as one of the main sources of income of its residents.

However, the beaches of Samal Island are under threat from an unsuspecting culprit: plastics.

In the Philippines, as much as 750,000 tons of plastic wastes enter the ocean every year, with some of it washing ashore on Samal Island. This influx poses a significant threat not only to the livelihoods of its residents but also to the island’s biodiversity.

In 2021, the United Nations Development Program launched the Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge. This competition aimed to contribute to the achievement of SDG 14: Life Below Water and SDG 12: Responsible Production and Consumption.

Various innovators from the four Asean countries of the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia pitched their ideas on how to tackle local plastic pollution challenges.

PureOceans, a Philippine-based marine conversation social enterprise, emerged as one of the winners.

Through EPPIC, PureOceans received USD 18,000 seed-funding support to implement their innovative solution in Samal Island. They prototyped a micro-circular economy model in coastal areas by collecting and recovering single-use plastics and upcycling them into industry-grade tiles and bricks.

This social innovation provided a community-based enterprise operation for the community members of Kaputian. They also enlisted the help of the indigenous population to be part of the social enterprise.

Krizzia Nash Estrera, a 24-year-old resident of Kaputian in Samal Island, knows the dire consequences of plastic pollution all too well. Krizzia is the local coordinator of PureOceans and a champion in engaging the local community to take the lead in the fight against plastic pollution. She attributes this change in mindset to EPPIC.

“Before, the government-led cleanups in the public beaches excluded the local residents. When EPPIC and UNDP came in, we were able to encourage the entire community to take part. We also extended invitations to indigenous people women to volunteer.”

Since January 2022, the winners of EPPIC have contributed to diverting at least 1 ton of plastic waste, whether from Samal Island’s shores or generated by local communities, with 400 kilograms of these already upcycled.

Beyond the numbers, the story of Samal Island speaks of how a seemingly small act can inspire an entire community to take a stand against plastic pollution.