Food wrappers top the list of plastic wastes collected for WED and WOD coastal cleanups

Iloilo City- Food wrappers have officially washed-out cigarette butts to become the number one item polluting global coastlines, according to recent beach cleanup data.

Here in Iloilo City and Oton, food wrappers topped the list of wastes collected during coastal cleanups for World Environment Day (WED) on June 5, 2026, and World Oceans Day (WOD) on June 8, 2026.

            During the coastal cleanup for World Environment Day on June 5, 2026 at Brgy. Sto. Niño Sur, Iloilo City, volunteers picked up 1,546 pieces of coffee, candy, chips, and biscuit wrappers, etc. Other items collected are plastic bottle caps (1,306 pcs); foam cups and plates (1,257 pcs.); plastic beverage bottles (977 pcs.); and, plastic cups, plates (897 pcs.).

            A total of thirty-six (36) sacks, equivalent to 356 kilograms of solid waste, were collected during World Environment Day 2026.

            Meanwhile, on June 8, 2026, another coastal cleanup was conducted in Brgy. Alegre, Oton, Iloilo, where volunteers collected a total of seventy-two (72) sacks of garbage weighing 524.9 kilograms. In Oton, food wrappers for coffee, candy, chips, biscuits, etc. ranked second with 1,325 pieces, while other plastic bags ranked first with 1,587 pieces collected. Other wastes collected were: plastic beverage bottles (1,276 pcs.); clothing (943 pcs.); and, glass beverage bottles (415 pcs.).

            A food wrapper at the top of a collected waste list means our society is increasingly reliant on single-use, on-the-go food packaging. This points to the need for a shift towards a more sustainable waste management system that holds manufacturers accountable, promote circular economies, and prioritizes reusable or truly biodegradable packaging alternatives.

            But it should start at home. “We should have discipline with regards to the implementation of solid waste management – at our homes, our cities and municipalities, and our nation,” said Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 6 OIC-Regional Executive Director Ramar Niel V. Pascua.

The consecutive events highlighted a powerful tri-sectoral collaboration, bringing together local communities, Local Government Units (LGUs), and DENR 6. By working hand-in-hand, these stakeholders demonstrated that tackling the multi-layered issue of plastic pollution requires a unified action, combining the regulatory guidance of the DENR, the localized mobilization of LGUs, and the active volunteerism of the community.

Accepting this challenge head-on, the LGU of Oton has officially committed to sustaining the momentum of these eco-campaigns. Moving forward, Oton is institutionalizing a regular, monthly coastal cleanup to be conducted with active community participation. Crucially, the LGU will focus its grassroots campaign on strict waste segregation at source. By separating recyclables, biodegradables, and residual plastic waste at the household level, Oton aims to drastically reduce the volume of trash hitting its shorelines, steering the community toward a genuinely clean, resilient, and healthy environment. /DENR 6