In major ocean polluter Philippines, group turns plastic waste into planks

Shredded plastic is loaded in a machine to be moulded into waterproof planks in the factory of social enterprise The Plastic Flamingo or The Plaf, in Muntinlupa, Philippines, October 18, 2021. The Plaf gathers plastics from restaurants, companies, and consumers and transforms them into useable raw material like waterproof planks. Picture taken October 18, 2021. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

MANILA (Reuters) - A group of recyclers in the Philippines is trying to ease the country's worsening plastic waste crisis by turning bottles, single-use sachets and snack food wrappers that clog rivers and spoil beaches into building materials.

The Plastic Flamingo, or "The Plaf", as they are commonly known, collect the waste, shred it and then mould it into posts and planks called "eco-lumber" that can be used for fencing, decking or even to make disaster-relief shelters.