The organization condemned the detention and called for the immediate release of the activists, saying communities across Southeast Asia continue to suffer from landfill collapses, toxic fires, polluted air, and plastic pollution linked to unsustainable waste systems and fossil fuel dependence.

CEBU CITY – Environmental activists from Greenpeace Southeast Asia were taken to a police station on Friday after holding a peaceful protest during the opening of the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu on May 8.

The activists called on ASEAN leaders to address the region’s worsening plastic crisis and dependence on fossil fuels. During the protest, they urged governments to reduce plastic production, phase out single-use plastics, and hold corporate polluters accountable.In a statement, Greenpeace Southeast Asia said the activists were brought to Lapu-Lapu Police Station 2 and were not allowed to leave.

Police holding Greenpeace activists. Photo by Victor Kintanar/Greenpeace

The organization condemned the detention and called for the immediate release of the activists, saying communities across Southeast Asia continue to suffer from landfill collapses, toxic fires, polluted air, and plastic pollution linked to unsustainable waste systems and fossil fuel dependence.

In a position paper released during the summit, Greenpeace Southeast Asia described the waste and plastic crises as “an urgent regional issue,” noting that six out of ten ASEAN countries generate around 31 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. The group said ASEAN accounts for 19% of plastic use in Southeast and East Asia and warned that the crisis causes “severe environmental, social, and economic injustices” that disproportionately affect low-income communities, fisherfolk, farmers, women, and Indigenous Peoples.

Greenpeace also linked the region’s plastic problem to fossil fuel dependence, stating that “99% of plastics” originate from the petrochemical industry. The organization argued that Southeast Asia’s waste crisis “is not an isolated waste management problem” but part of a broader economic system dependent on fossil fuels and single-use plastics.

The group further cited recent landfill collapses in the Philippines and Indonesia in 2026 that reportedly caused more than 40 deaths, alongside landfill fires across Southeast Asia that released toxic pollutants harmful to nearby communities and first responders.

The Philippines alone has recorded at least three major waste disasters within the first three months of 2026, reflecting what environmental groups describe as a growing pattern across the country’s waste disposal facilities.

The Binaliw Landfill collapse in Cebu. Photo by Maverick Avila/Bulatlat)

On January 8, the collapse of the Binaliw landfill in Cebu City claimed 39 lives and injured 18 others. On February 20, a landfill in Rizal frequented daily by more than 500 waste pickers also collapsed, resulting in four confirmed deaths. Meanwhile, the landfill in Navotas has been burning since April 10, forcing more than 400 residents to evacuate and seek shelter.

In its recommendations to ASEAN leaders, Greenpeace called for mandatory reductions in plastic production, stronger corporate accountability measures, expanded reuse and refill systems, and a transition away from fossil fuel-dependent economies. The organization also urged ASEAN governments to prioritize “human health, environmental protection and social equity above corporate interests.” (AMU, RTS)

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