The ingestion of ocean plastics by marine life is a massive global problem with often deadly consequences, and one nation under the spotlight is the Philippines – 2015 research named it the world’s third-largest contributor to ocean plastic debris.
They first met when Mr Abreo was taking his students on a tour of the D’Bone Collector Museum in Davao and Mr Blatchley was their guide. On reaching the marine biodiversity floor, Mr Blatchley showed the group some of his findings – various marine mammal skeletons, the types of plastic the animals had ingested, and how plastic waste is killing marine life.
Since their collaboration began, Mr Abreo has documented and written their findings in his research papers – while Mr Blatchley performs necropsies and tells the life journey of the carcasses to his museum visitors through the visual display of their skeletons.
Typically, the plastics they have discovered within the creatures so far are food wrappings, but other types of plastics are equally harmful. For instance, Mr Blatchley found a Pygmy Sperm Whale that died due to a small candy wrapper blocking its’ digestive tract. The museum owner also discovered 40-kilogram calcified plastic inside the gastrointestine of a Cuvier’s Beaked Whale. The whale, whose mouth is only about 2 inches wide, could not possibly digest the hardened plastic in one sitting. Most likely, the accumulated plastic killed the whale slowly from the inside.
Equally significant is the role of Mr Blatchley’s museum, which has received UNESCO’s Plastic Initiative Award. He is also a recipient of the Datu Bago Award, which is given by the city government to exemplary citizens. By providing a visual display of the findings of Mr Blatchley and Mr Abreo, who is also completing his master’s degree in Marine Biodiversity at Davao del Norte State College, the museum promotes the danger of plastic to marine life and raises public awareness on why we need to stop irresponsible littering.
Our team recently had the opportunity to meet with Mr Blatchley and Mr Abreo via Zoom, and discuss the impacts of ocean plastic waste on marine life, and the challenges they face both in undertaking their research into the problem and determining and implementing the most effective solutions.
The Centre: When you first met, what was your aim in the battle against marine waste?
Mr Abreo: I thought to myself we should document as much as possible of what types of plastics are usually ingested, what species ingest plastics, where (the plastic and species) are located, etc.
My idea to begin marine plastic research initially came from a journal article by Jenna Jambeck, a renowned biologist from the University of Georgia, which found the Philippines was the world’s third-largest contributor to ocean plastic debris.
So, I was out to either prove or disprove her claim. And meeting (Mr) Darrell Blatchley made it more possible to conduct research in marine plastic.
Mr Blatchley: I recovered a Deraniyagala’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon hotaula) in 2012 (which was only announced as a new species a year later). Among 71 dead whales and dolphins we recovered in the past 11 years, 59 whales and dolphins, died directly due to fishing nets and plastic garbage inside their stomachs in the Davao Gulf alone.
How important is research in marine biology?
Mr Abreo: I hope my papers encourage my counterparts in the Philippines and other ASEAN countries to conduct more studies on marine plastic pollution in their respective regions. I am concerned about the low amount of marine biology research, leading to a scarcity of data comparison.
Before, when I did my research to write a review paper, I only found one paper that explored the impact of marine litter on the movement of an intertidal gastropod from the Philippines. That is why I try to document as much as possible, so I can have data that would eventually help the legislators and government to actually formulate a law to tackle the marine plastic issue, or to bring it to their awareness that the problem exists not only in other countries but also in our backyard.
Mr Blatchley: The lack of funding to support research on marine biology limits researcher ability to conduct research and project longevity. There is not enough incentive to become a marine biologist. It deters people from considering marine biology as a career path in the Philippines.
So the lack of marine biologists puts us back in the vicious circle, where the shortage of data leads to a lack of awareness?
Mr Blatchley: As long as the government regards environmental research as insignificant, the marine ecology situation in the Philippines will continue to decline, and more species will be lost.
It is important how he (Mr Abreo) amplifies the voices of marine activists like myself on the impact of sea plastic pollution on oceanic creatures. Because of his scientific findings, actionable steps are taken by the government.
How crucial is necropsy, also known as a non-human autopsy?
Mr Blatchley: Without necropsy, we lose all scientific information not just on why (a marine creature) died, but anything else that relates to their death
The documentation on my countless necropsies has given us the proof the general public and policymakers need on the dreadful impact of day-to-day plastic bags and wrappers on animals.
In your view, what needs to be done to save marine life?
Mr Blatchley: We have a lady that goes to clean out [canals] once a week, but cleaning does not fix the problem. (She) should not be the nanny for every irresponsible litterer in the country.
Mr Abreo and Mr Blatchley: Cleanliness should not be the responsibility of just one person. We need to find ways to change our communal littering habit as a region. We recommend the following policies to help the Philippine government tackle marine plastic litter.
Education. Children learn early and by example. Lack of education regarding littering causes people to continue a generational habit of improperly throwing their garbage.
Reinforcement of plastic segregation: Six years ago, the Philippines conducted segregation on household waste based on different categories. However, all the sorted waste ended up in the same dump truck – so people saw no value in sorting their trash. With better execution of plastic sorting laws and a detailed waste management plan, the Philippines could reduce the need for more landfills.
More plastic recycling facilities: There are very limited proper plastic recycling facilities in the country, which means most plastics proceed to landfills. The government recently purchased new land for a landfill which it claimed could sustain waste until 2030. However, not even halfway through the year, it is already almost at maximum capacity.
Give incentives for people to collect plastic: In the United States and European countries, mostly you take plastic containers and put them in a recycling machine. A person that may not have a job would walk the beaches picking them up if they had a value. Giving value to plastic will provide income for people who need it. Most importantly, it helps cultivate the habit of picking up our plastic for its value.
More research in freshwater biota and health implications: There is the potential of plastic changing the hydrodynamics between fresh and salt-water environments. Plastics create natural blockages from waterways such as rivers to the sea. In theory, plastic blockages are bound to change the dynamic between fresh and seawater environments, especially for creatures who live in both. The freshwater condition also impacts the ocean, so we hope to see more research on the effect of plastics in rivers. Once a scientific background is available, it will be easier to create campaign awareness for people to be more mindful about where and how they throw away their household waste.
Environmentalist – President and Director of the D’Bone Collector Museum, Davao
Researcher at Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology
The ingestion of ocean plastics by marine life is a massive global problem with often deadly consequences, and one nation under the spotlight is the Philippines – 2015 research named it the world’s third-largest contributor to ocean plastic debris.
They first met when Mr Abreo was taking his students on a tour of the D’Bone Collector Museum in Davao and Mr Blatchley was their guide. On reaching the marine biodiversity floor, Mr Blatchley showed the group some of his findings – various marine mammal skeletons, the types of plastic the animals had ingested, and how plastic waste is killing marine life.
Since their collaboration began, Mr Abreo has documented and written their findings in his research papers – while Mr Blatchley performs necropsies and tells the life journey of the carcasses to his museum visitors through the visual display of their skeletons.
Typically, the plastics they have discovered within the creatures so far are food wrappings, but other types of plastics are equally harmful. For instance, Mr Blatchley found a Pygmy Sperm Whale that died due to a small candy wrapper blocking its’ digestive tract. The museum owner also discovered 40-kilogram calcified plastic inside the gastrointestine of a Cuvier’s Beaked Whale. The whale, whose mouth is only about 2 inches wide, could not possibly digest the hardened plastic in one sitting. Most likely, the accumulated plastic killed the whale slowly from the inside.
Equally significant is the role of Mr Blatchley’s museum, which has received UNESCO’s Plastic Initiative Award. He is also a recipient of the Datu Bago Award, which is given by the city government to exemplary citizens. By providing a visual display of the findings of Mr Blatchley and Mr Abreo, who is also completing his master’s degree in Marine Biodiversity at Davao del Norte State College, the museum promotes the danger of plastic to marine life and raises public awareness on why we need to stop irresponsible littering.
Our team recently had the opportunity to meet with Mr Blatchley and Mr Abreo via Zoom, and discuss the impacts of ocean plastic waste on marine life, and the challenges they face both in undertaking their research into the problem and determining and implementing the most effective solutions.
The Centre: When you first met, what was your aim in the battle against marine waste?
Mr Abreo: I thought to myself we should document as much as possible of what types of plastics are usually ingested, what species ingest plastics, where (the plastic and species) are located, etc.
My idea to begin marine plastic research initially came from a journal article by Jenna Jambeck, a renowned biologist from the University of Georgia, which found the Philippines was the world’s third-largest contributor to ocean plastic debris.
So, I was out to either prove or disprove her claim. And meeting (Mr) Darrell Blatchley made it more possible to conduct research in marine plastic.
Mr Blatchley: I recovered a Deraniyagala’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon hotaula) in 2012 (which was only announced as a new species a year later). Among 71 dead whales and dolphins we recovered in the past 11 years, 59 whales and dolphins, died directly due to fishing nets and plastic garbage inside their stomachs in the Davao Gulf alone.
How important is research in marine biology?
Mr Abreo: I hope my papers encourage my counterparts in the Philippines and other ASEAN countries to conduct more studies on marine plastic pollution in their respective regions. I am concerned about the low amount of marine biology research, leading to a scarcity of data comparison.
Before, when I did my research to write a review paper, I only found one paper that explored the impact of marine litter on the movement of an intertidal gastropod from the Philippines. That is why I try to document as much as possible, so I can have data that would eventually help the legislators and government to actually formulate a law to tackle the marine plastic issue, or to bring it to their awareness that the problem exists not only in other countries but also in our backyard.
Mr Blatchley: The lack of funding to support research on marine biology limits researcher ability to conduct research and project longevity. There is not enough incentive to become a marine biologist. It deters people from considering marine biology as a career path in the Philippines.
So the lack of marine biologists puts us back in the vicious circle, where the shortage of data leads to a lack of awareness?
Mr Blatchley: As long as the government regards environmental research as insignificant, the marine ecology situation in the Philippines will continue to decline, and more species will be lost.
It is important how he (Mr Abreo) amplifies the voices of marine activists like myself on the impact of sea plastic pollution on oceanic creatures. Because of his scientific findings, actionable steps are taken by the government.
How crucial is necropsy, also known as a non-human autopsy?
Mr Blatchley: Without necropsy, we lose all scientific information not just on why (a marine creature) died, but anything else that relates to their death
The documentation on my countless necropsies has given us the proof the general public and policymakers need on the dreadful impact of day-to-day plastic bags and wrappers on animals.
In your view, what needs to be done to save marine life?
Mr Blatchley: We have a lady that goes to clean out [canals] once a week, but cleaning does not fix the problem. (She) should not be the nanny for every irresponsible litterer in the country.
Mr Abreo and Mr Blatchley: Cleanliness should not be the responsibility of just one person. We need to find ways to change our communal littering habit as a region. We recommend the following policies to help the Philippine government tackle marine plastic litter.
Education. Children learn early and by example. Lack of education regarding littering causes people to continue a generational habit of improperly throwing their garbage.
Reinforcement of plastic segregation: Six years ago, the Philippines conducted segregation on household waste based on different categories. However, all the sorted waste ended up in the same dump truck – so people saw no value in sorting their trash. With better execution of plastic sorting laws and a detailed waste management plan, the Philippines could reduce the need for more landfills.
More plastic recycling facilities: There are very limited proper plastic recycling facilities in the country, which means most plastics proceed to landfills. The government recently purchased new land for a landfill which it claimed could sustain waste until 2030. However, not even halfway through the year, it is already almost at maximum capacity.
Give incentives for people to collect plastic: In the United States and European countries, mostly you take plastic containers and put them in a recycling machine. A person that may not have a job would walk the beaches picking them up if they had a value. Giving value to plastic will provide income for people who need it. Most importantly, it helps cultivate the habit of picking up our plastic for its value.
More research in freshwater biota and health implications: There is the potential of plastic changing the hydrodynamics between fresh and salt-water environments. Plastics create natural blockages from waterways such as rivers to the sea. In theory, plastic blockages are bound to change the dynamic between fresh and seawater environments, especially for creatures who live in both. The freshwater condition also impacts the ocean, so we hope to see more research on the effect of plastics in rivers. Once a scientific background is available, it will be easier to create campaign awareness for people to be more mindful about where and how they throw away their household waste.
Environmentalist – President and Director of the D’Bone Collector Museum, Davao
Researcher at Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology
