(Part 1)
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines’ plastic crisis is shaped not only by how much plastic is consumed, but by how poorly much of that waste is managed after use.
The country generates an estimated 1.51 million tons of plastic waste annually as of 2025, according to Earth Action’s 2025 Plastic Overshoot Day report and World Population Review data.
More than half of that waste—about 55.56%, or roughly 839,300 tons—is expected to be mismanaged in 2025, meaning it is left uncollected, openly dumped, burned or otherwise improperly handled. Much of it eventually finds its way into waterways, coastlines and communities.
Comparable estimates from Earth Action’s 2024 Plastic Overshoot Day report placed mismanaged plastic waste at around 842,000 tons in 2024.
