The first Interceptor barrier in the Manila Bay region to be operational by June 2026
Global non-profit organization, The Ocean Cleanup, reinforces its commitment to mitigating ocean-bound plastic waste from the Manila Bay region, with the deployment of its first Interceptor™ barrier in the Philippines, set to be in the Meycauayan River by June 2026.
This follows the recent announcement of Interceptor deployments in the entire Manila Bay region, as part of The Ocean Cleanup’s global initiative, the 30 Cities Program, which aims to accelerate efforts to intercept and remove ocean-bound plastic pollution from rivers globally by up to one third, by the end of the decade.
In partnership with the City of Meycauayan and supported by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), this new Interceptor barrier will replace an existing trash trap and enhance plastic waste interception capacity before it reaches Manila Bay.
The significant advancement will enable the capture of some of the projected 370 to 540 tonnes of annual emissions from the Meycauayan River system into Manila Bay.
“This milestone brings us one step closer to building tangible solutions toward cleaner rivers and healthier communities in the Manila Bay region. We are excited to collaborate with the City of Meycauayan on this first deployment in the Philippines, where commitment and leadership play a vital role in mitigating ocean-bound plastic waste pollution,” said Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO, The Ocean Cleanup.
Henry R. Villarica, Mayor of Meycauayan, added: “In a timely and necessary step forward, our city is proud to formalize a partnership with The Ocean Cleanup to support the rehabilitation of the Meycauayan River. Our work has never stopped, and this collaboration strengthens our capacity to accelerate meaningful, lasting change. We are fully committed to doing everything in our power to rehabilitate our river for the health, dignity, and future of our community.”
Each year, an estimated 20,000 to 33,000 tonnes of plastic waste enter the ocean from the Philippines. According to The Ocean Cleanup’s Smart River Survey, emissions are projected at 3,500 to 4,400 tonnes annually within the Manila Bay region alone, a clear indication of the challenge and the need for urgent solutions.
Rivers are a major source of plastic waste in the oceans, with 1000 of the three million rivers around the world responsible for 80% of the problem, according to The Ocean Cleanup. To address this, the organization deploys Interceptor solutions in rivers and works within local waste systems to stop plastic before it reaches the sea.
This initiative also underscores The Ocean Cleanup’s expanding network of partnerships, bringing together key stakeholders such as the Embassy of the Philippines in the Netherlands and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Philippines, alongside Energies PH as marine renewable energy advisors. The partners collectively work hand in hand with The Ocean Cleanup toward mitigating ocean-bound plastic in the Philippines.
This project is poised to grow even further as The Ocean Cleanup deepens its partnerships with the City of Meycauayan, other local government units, and organizations in the country to go beyond interceptor deployment and drive further awareness and research initiatives.
To find out more about The Ocean Cleanup, visit theoceancleanup.com.
About The Ocean Cleanup
The Ocean Cleanup is a nonprofit organization that develops and scales technologies to rid the oceans of plastic. By conducting extensive research, engineering scalable solutions, and partnering with governments, industry, and like-minded organizations, The Ocean Cleanup is working to stop plastic inflow via rivers and remove legacy plastic already polluting the oceans. As of March 2025, the non-profit has collected over 50 million kilograms (110.2 million pounds) of trash from aquatic ecosystems around the world. Founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup now employs a multi-disciplined team of approximately 200 people. The organization is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with international operations in 10 countries.
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