The Netherlands-based environmental engineering organisation The Ocean Cleanup is scheduled to deploy the Philippines’ first Interceptor barrier in the Meycauayan River this month.
The project aims to reduce the flow of ocean-bound plastic waste entering the Manila Bay region and is part of The Ocean Cleanup’s broader global strategy to reduce ocean-bound plastic pollution from rivers by one-third by 2030.
An estimated 20,000 to 33,000 tonnes of plastic waste flow from the Philippine archipelago into the ocean annually.
Located in Bulacan, the Meycauayan River is part of the Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando River System (MMORS), which suffers from heavy pollution from domestic sewage, heavy metals, and industrial waste.
Unlike conventional permeable barriers, the Interceptor Barrier consists of a standalone floating barrier anchored in a U-shape across the river mouth, trapping and buffering floating debris until it can be extracted from the water.
The upcoming deployment is projected to capture between 370 and 540 tonnes of plastic waste emissions from the river system each year.
The organisation develops a range of technical solutions, including the Interceptor Original, Barricade, Guard, and Tender, customised to specific river characteristics such as width, depth, debris composition, flow speed, seasonality, and tidal patterns.
Similar Interceptor Barriers are currently operational in Jamaica at Kingston Harbour and Barnes Gully.
Conducted in partnership with the City of Meycauayan local government, the deployment is supported by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office.
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