THE International Container Terminals Services Inc. (ICTSI) Foundation has signed a partnership agreement with Finnish nongovernment organization RiverRecycle to pioneer a financially sustainable river-waste-collection system for the Pasig River in the Philippines’ capital city of Manila.

ICTSI Foundation is providing $1-million funding for RiverRecycle’s implementation of the project, which complements existing efforts to revive one of the country’s main waterways.

“Supporting this project with RiverRecycle is part of our commitment to environmental conservation and the welfare of our host communities along the Pasig River and the port area. We are very optimistic about the potential environmental impact of this endeavor,” explained Christian R. Gonzalez, ICTSI Foundation president.

The project has two components, the first of which is the collection of plastic waste from the river using a device designed by RiverRecycle to capture between 70 and 200 tons of waste daily.

The collected plastic waste will be converted into oil before being converted back into plastic.

The second component is the implementation of an awareness campaign to empower local communities to adopt more responsible waste management behaviors — a key step to reduce and eventually, eliminate plastic pollution.

The plastic waste collection project perfectly aligns with ongoing waste management initiatives under the Parola Solid Waste Management Project, which the ICTSI Foundation implements in coordination with and assistance from the city of Manila and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The project is also expected to reduce the number of water hyacinths.