Named rivers draining to the Pacific Ocean
These are the reviewed, named outfalls from the dataset's top 50 that drain to the Pacific Ocean. Each links to a full profile with drivers, caveats, and sources.
Pacific Ocean: River Plastic Emission Rankings
569 of the top 1,000 modeled river outfalls drain to the Pacific Ocean, together carrying a modeled 442,400 metric tons of plastic per year, 61.2% of the combined top 1,000 total. 29 of the dataset's 50 named rivers empty into this basin.
Pasig River
Rank #1 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 62,592 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Tullahan River
Rank #2 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 13,450 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Meycauayan River
Rank #5 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 12,398 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Pampanga River
Rank #6 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 9,340 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Libmanan River
Rank #7 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 7,088 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Rio Grande de Mindanao
Rank #9 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 5,256 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Agno River
Rank #10 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 4,637 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Agusan River
Rank #11 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 4,568 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Paranaque River
Rank #12 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 4,363 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Iloilo River
Rank #13 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 4,224 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Soai Rap River
Rank #14 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 4,127 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Chao Phraya River
Rank #15 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 4,027 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Huangpu River
Rank #18 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 3,650 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Sarawak River
Rank #22 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 3,275 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Imus River
Rank #24 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 3,137 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Chenzhen River
Rank #25 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,927 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Langat River
Rank #27 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,829 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Ciliwung River
Rank #28 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,797 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Zapote River
Rank #29 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,748 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Cagayan de Oro River
Rank #32 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,574 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Davao River
Rank #33 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,564 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Malaking Tubig River
Rank #38 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,488 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Zhujiang (Pearl River)
Rank #39 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,485 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Tambo River (Pasay)
Rank #40 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,475 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Kelantan River
Rank #41 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,467 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Jalaur River
Rank #42 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,348 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Cagayan River
Rank #46 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,273 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Kuantan River (Sungai Kuantan)
Rank #47 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,187 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Hamulauon River
Rank #50 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,170 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.
Unnamed top 100 outfalls in this basin
31 additional outfalls in the dataset's top 100 drain to the Pacific Ocean without a reviewed river name: #52, #53, #58, #59, #60, #61, #62, #63, #64, #66, #67, #68, #71, #73, #76, #77, #78, #79, #80, #81, #86, #87, #88, #90, #91, #92, #93, #95, #97, #98, #100. Beyond the top 100, a further 509 outfalls in the top 1,000 drain to this basin and are shown on the interactive map.
Methodology Note
Figures are modeled estimates from Meijer et al. (2021), not measured basin totals. Basin attribution on this site covers the dataset's top 1,000 outfall points; the full dataset contains 31,819 points.
Pacific Ocean FAQ
Which rivers carry the most plastic to the Pacific Ocean?
The highest-ranked named rivers draining to the Pacific Ocean in the Meijer et al. (2021) model are the Pasig River (#1), the Tullahan River (#2), the Meycauayan River (#5). Values are modeled annual estimates.
How much plastic do rivers carry into the Pacific Ocean each year?
Within the top 1,000 modeled outfalls, 569 points drain to the Pacific Ocean with a combined modeled emission of 442,400 metric tons per year, 61.2% of the combined top 1,000 total. This is a modeled estimate covering the top 1,000 points, not a measured basin-wide total.
Are these figures measurements?
No. They are modeled estimates from a global framework that combines waste statistics, hydrology, rainfall, and distance-to-coast assumptions. Basin attribution on this site covers the top 1,000 modeled points.
Sources
- Meijer, L.J.J. et al. (2021). "More than 1000 rivers account for 80% of global riverine plastic emissions into the ocean." Science Advances, 7(18). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz5803
- UNEP (2021). "From Pollution to Solution: A Global Assessment of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution." View report
How to Cite This Page
Plastic Bank. "Pacific Ocean: River Plastic Emission Rankings (Meijer et al. 2021)." Rivers Carrying Plastic to the Ocean. https://rivers.plasticbank.com/rivers/basin/pacific. Reviewed July 20, 2026.