Turning the tide on plastic pollution: How the Pasig River digital twin is driving change
Every year, millions of tonnes of plastic waste find their way into our oceans, threatening marine life, disrupting ecosystems, and impacting communities. In the Philippines, the Pasig River has become one of the most significant contributors, estimated to be responsible for more than six per cent of global plastic waste entering the sea.
Now, an innovative collaboration between Arup, RiverRecycle, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is harnessing digital twin technology to tackle the problem at its source. Through the Terria Digital Twin Partner Program, we’re proud to be supporting this project with the tools and expertise to bring critical spatial data to life.
A complex challenge in a vital waterway
The Pasig River runs through Manila, connecting Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Once a vital route for trade and transport, it’s now heavily polluted, posing risks to health, biodiversity, and the local economy. Addressing such a challenge requires more than just clean-up crews, it calls for a deep understanding of how plastic moves through the river system.
The Pasig River digital twin integrates multiple complex datasets to track the movement of plastic waste and other debris, which helps identify pollution hotspots and their sources.
How the digital twin works
The Pasig River digital twin will integrate multiple datasets from satellites, surveys, and government agencies, paired with weather and tidal models unique to the region. This approach will:
Map the movement of plastic waste in real time
Identify hotspots for accumulation and leakage
Model different intervention scenarios before deploying resources
Support data-driven decision-making for clean-up and prevention strategies
By visualising the problem and its contributing factors, the project aims to design smarter clean-up operations, prevent future pollution, and engage communities in creating lasting change.
Collaboration for impact
Dr Serryn Eagleson, Arup’s Australia Digital Advisory Lead, describes the approach as a way to “translate complex data into actionable insights to inform the removal of plastic from the Pasig River.” RiverRecycle’s CEO and founder, Anssi Mikola, echoes this, noting that the technology will help them “better understand how plastic flows through the river” and work more effectively with local communities.
ADB’s involvement ensures the project is embedded within the Philippine government’s flagship river rejuvenation initiatives, backed by both science and stakeholder engagement.
Terria’s role
At Terria, our mission is to unlock the value of spatial data for better decision-making.
By supporting the Pasig River project through our Digital Twin Partner Program, we’re enabling Arup and their partners to integrate complex datasets into an accessible, interactive platform powered by TerriaJS.
As our Co-founder and Head of Customer Experience, Amber Standley, puts it:
“This project is a great example of Terria’s purpose: transforming complex spatial data into insights that help people make a real difference for their communities and the planet.”
Why it matters
The Pasig River project demonstrates how technology, partnerships, and open data can tackle urgent environmental challenges in the Philippines and beyond. By pairing spatial intelligence with community action, it offers a blueprint for reducing plastic pollution and protecting waterways worldwide.
Learn more
To learn more about the Pasig River revitalisation project in Manila harnessing digital twin technology to address plastic waste and support urban renewal:
🔗 Harnessing digital twin technology to address plastic waste in Philippines – Arup
🔗 Manila, ADB discuss Pasig River revitalization project – Manila Bulletin
Next steps
👉 Explore more Terria case studies to see how digital twins are helping governments, consultants, and communities around the world.
About Terria
Terria makes it easy to build advanced maps and digital twins, so you can see the bigger picture. Our digital maps and spatial digital twin technology make it easy for you to unlock the full potential of your data, enabling faster, smarter decision-making. We help you transform complex data into clear, actionable insights, so you can tackle real-world challenges with confidence and precision.
At Terria, we believe that data transparency has the power to transform how businesses operate, make decisions, and engage with stakeholders—ultimately leading to better outcomes for all. Find out more here https://terria.io/about
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