The tiny plastic packages that are fueling Asia's waste crisis

MANILA, Philippines - Two dozen children fanned out along a creek near their elementary school, filling sacks with litter left by residents of the concrete shacks lining the waterway.

When they'd finished the morning cleanup, the students emptied a large garbage bag to study its contents. A stream of shiny plastic scraps spilled onto the school's driveway.

Bearing the names of familiar international brands of coffee creamer, biscuits, laundry detergent and candy, the discarded packaging illustrated one of the biggest environmental challenges facing Asia's booming cities. The palm-sized packets known as sachets have exploded in emerging economies, allowing low-income consumers to buy single servings of almost any product.

But the packaging cannot be easily recycled, and in cities like Manila with spotty waste collection, the used pouches have piled up in