SEA of Solutions 2019 was the first annual partnership week convened by the SEA circular initiative. SEA of Solutions 2019 brought together governments, business leaders, scientists, UN agencies and community groups, to dialogue on solutions for marine plastic pollution.
Over 500 registered participants from more than 40 countries, 115 speakers in 20 sessions and 25 exhibition booths, all highlighted solutions to prevent marine plastic pollution. The first annual SEA of Solutions event was successful in generating dialogue and promoting opportunities for future collaboration and partnerships. More than 300 organizations, including well over 100 companies, NGOs, governmental bodies, academic, and youth groups sent representatives from across the region to this event, fostering partnerships in the region to combat the transboundary problem of plastic pollution – under the uniting mantra of ‘Together, less plastic wasted’.
country list: Thailand
Plastic bag ban underway in Thailand
1 January 2020, Bangkok, Thailand: The new year marked the start of the ban on plastic bags in Thailand, implemented by around 75 brands under the Thai Retailers Association to reduce plastic waste in the country.
The aim is to reduce 13.5 billion plastic bags handed out to shoppers, or 30 per cent of plastic bags used in Thailand annually.
Under the association’s campaign entitled ‘Every day say no to plastic bags’, 24,500 distribution channels of all the Association’s 75 members will stop giving plastic bags for purchases, hoping to drive the country closer to a plastic waste free society.
The Department of Pollution Control recently revealed that 40 per cent or 18 billion plastic bags come from Thailand’s fresh markets annually, while the balance of 30 per cent, or 13.5 billion bags, come from local grocery stores.
A government campaign to eliminate single-use plastic bags entirely by 2022 has seen television channels pixelating plastic bags onscreen.
Plastic waste management demonstration area launched in Rayong
The Thailand Minister of Natural Resources and Environment has inaugurated a project for integrated marine waste management, in a new demonstration area in Rayong, attended by UN Environment Programme.
20 December 2019, Khodpor public park area, Rayong Municipality, Muang District, Rayong Province: Mr. Warawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Royal Government of Thailand has launched a comprehensive marine waste management demonstration area, with participation from national and international partners.
Rayong province is piloting a plastic circular economy model, through reducing the use of new plastic materials production and increasing recycling rates.
Also in attendance were Mr Chatuporn Chaimaphat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Mr. Yuthapol Ong-itthichai, Deputy Governor, Mr. Piya Pitucha, Rayong Provincial Administrative Organization and Mr. Worawit Suphachokchai, Mayor of Nakhon Municipality.
Ms. Dechen Tsering, Director, Asia and the Pacific Office, UN Environment Programme also spoke at the opening event, which was attended by more than 1,500 people.
This integrated marine waste management demonstration area has been set up in response to the challenge of marine plastic pollution in Rayong province. Thailand is one of the biggest plastic waste polluters. The country is the world’s sixth largest contributor to ocean plastic waste. The Rayong demonstration area will aim to showcase best practice in the integrated management of waste, to avoid plastic pollution of the marine environment.
Mr Warawut Silpa-archa said, “This integrated marine waste management project is an important initiative, to demonstrate systematic and holistic solutions to the challenges of marine litter. We need long term and comprehensive solutions – and this is a high priority for the Government of Thailand.”
Mr Chatuporn Chaimaphat said, “The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources has collaborated with all sectors in promoting integrated management of plastic waste. The Rayong Municipality is highly supportive and the communities stand ready – making this location highly suitable as a prototype area for integrated marine waste management.”
Ms. Dechen Tsering said, “Thailand’s marine and coastal ecosystems boast rare biodiversity and beauty. Yet marine pollution of all kinds, including plastic pollution from land and sea, is threatening already fragile ecosystems. Plastic pollution can only be addressed meaningfully through concerted multi-stakeholder action along the plastic value chain – by transforming the way we produce, consume, and dispose of plastic.”
Circulate Capital closes US$ 106M fund to protect Asia’s ocean from plastic
4 December 2019, Singapore: Circulate Capital, a Singapore-based investment management firm dedicated to incubating and financing companies and infrastructure that prevent ocean plastic in South and South-East Asia (SSEA), held the first close of the US$106m Circulate Capital Ocean Fund (CCOF).
Created in collaboration with Closed Loop Partners and Ocean Conservancy, CCOF’s founding investors include PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP), the first investor, Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG), Dow (NYSE: DOW), Danone (EPA: BN), Unilever (NYSE: UN), The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC.
Circulate Capital is dedicated to addressing the financing gap between available private capital and the resources needed by Asia’s waste industry systems, CCOF will provide both debt and equity financing to waste management, recycling and circular economy start-ups and SMEs in South and South-East Asia focused on preventing plastic pollution and advancing the circular economy.
The investment model seeks to mobilize institutional investors by blending concessionary funds with investment capital.
The firm has identified more than 200 potential investment opportunities across a range of industries in the region, with their first investments targeted in the coming weeks.
SEA of Solutions 2019: Partnership Week to Reduce Plastic Pollution
SEA of Solutions 2019 was the first annual partnership week convened by SEA circular. SEA of Solutions 2019 took place at the UNCC in Bangkok in November 2019. The event brought together governments, business leaders, scientists, UN agencies and community groups, to dialogue on solutions for marine plastic pollution.
More about SEA of Solutions 2019
SEA of Solutions 2019: Event Summary
SEA of Solutions 2019 was the first annual partnership week convened by SEA circular. SEA of Solutions 2019 took place at the UNCC in Bangkok in November 2019. The event brought together governments, business leaders, scientists, UN agencies and community groups, to dialogue on solutions for marine plastic pollution.
More about SEA of Solutions 2019
SEA of Solutions 2019 – Partnership week for marine plastic pollution prevention
OVERVIEW
For more information – visit the SEA of Solutions 2019 website
SEA of Solutions 2019
Plastic waste is choking our rivers and seas, threatening ecosystems and livelihoods in South East Asia. Striving for cleaner seas, less plastic wasted and a more circular economy requires fundamental changes throughout the plastic value chain.
SEA of Solutions 2019 is the first annual partnership week convened by SEA circular – an initiative from the UN Environment Programme and the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), with support from the Swedish Government – to inspire market-based solutions and encourage enabling policies to prevent marine plastic pollution in South East Asia. SEA circular works in partnership with governments, businesses, civil society, development partners, academia, UN agencies and the media to solve plastic pollution at source.
SEA of Solutions 2019 is bringing together governments, business leaders, scientists, UN agencies and community groups, to dialogue on solutions for marine plastic pollution.
For more information – visit the SEA of Solutions 2019 website
Thailand
Approximately 51,000 tons of the uncollected and improperly disposed plastic waste in Thailand gets washed into the sea each year. Along Thailand’s 3219km coastline – rich in coastal and marine biodiversity – plastic pollution is impacting the beaches, coral zone and mangrove ecosystems.
Causes and challenges
Economic growth – bringing increasing production and consumption – is leading to higher waste generation. Plastic production in Thailand is growing at 2.9 percent annually and it’s increasing. Plastic packaging waste is a major component of the waste found on the beaches in Thailand.
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) collection rates in Thailand vary significantly between urban and rural areas. Open dumpsites outnumber sanitary landfill, with open dumping the most commonly used method of MSW disposal. Just 0.5 million tonnes of the plastic waste can currently be reused, whilst the remaining 1.5 million tonnes, (80 percent of which are single-use plastic bags) accumulate in official dumping sites or elsewhere. The unmanaged plastic waste component of MSW during its collection, transportation and disposal gets leaked into the ocean.
Ways forward
Thailand has strongly committed to address marine litter and plastic pollution. There is a well established and emerging environmental regulatory framework in place, supported by strong acts, plans and regulations. A marine litter and plastic waste master plan is under preparation. Key players in the private sector are involved in circular economy initiatives, as well as supporting recycling and disposal of plastic MSW, industrial and hazardous waste. Civil society organizations have undertaken successful initiatives to address marine litter and plastic pollution. Clear indicators and targets have been identified to reduce single use plastic production, increase recycling rates, improve packaging options and increase consumer awareness.
Download the SEA circular Country Profile for Thailand for more information
First Alliance to End Plastic Waste forum held in South-East Asia
28 August 2019, Bangkok, Thailand – Global companies from across the value chain, including chemical and plastic manufacturers, have held the first Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) forum in South-East Asia.
The forum introduced the Alliance, a global non-profit organisation aiming to end plastic waste in the environment, especially in the ocean, to Southeast Asia and Thailand.
The Alliance represents 40 companies that are headquartered in North and South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Many of these companies have significant operations in Southeast Asia, including Thailand.
The Alliance has committed almost US$1 billion (Bt30 billion) in funds, with the goal of investing $1.5 billion over the next five years to develop solutions that will minimise and manage plastic waste and promote post-use solutions. Alliance efforts will focus many of its efforts in Southeast Asia, where the need is greatest.
Thailand is taking a proactive approach, such as the government’s Roadmap on Plastic Waste Management for 2018 – 2030. By the end of 2022 Thailand aims to be free of plastic bags less than 36 microns thick, Styrofoam food boxes, plastic straws, and single-use plastic cups. The goal is to reduce Thailand’s plastic ocean waste at least 50 per cent by 2027.
Thailand Public Private Partnership for Plastic and Waste Management (Thailand PPP Plastic) is an unprecedented collaboration between 15 organisations from the government sector, private sector, and non-profit organisations that on June 5, 2018 signed an MOU to address Thailand plastic marine debris.
SEA circular is working with the Government of Thailand to promote enabling policies to reduce plastic waste, and supporting private sector initiatives to build more circular economy initiatives into the supply chain.
Siam Cement Group (SCG) promotes a more circular economy
26 August 2019, Bangkok – At the 10th Sustainable Development Symposium, SCG announced that 45 partners from the public, private, non-profit and intergovernmental sectors have banded together to form a network to drive the circular economy.
Throughout South East Asia, growing populations, rising consumption and mounting piles of waste are all inter-connected and makes it urgent for governments and businesses to adopt practices of recycling and waste-management under the concept of the “circular economy”.
The network comprises five global organisations, three government agencies, 29 businesses, eight schools and communities that have pledged to create models in compliance with circular economy principles to maximize resource and solve waste problems from upstream to downstream operations. These network partners will collaborate on tackling ocean waste, raising living standards and managing industrial waste.
Network partners include The World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the United Nations and Thai Chamber of Commerce among non-profit or intergovernmental organisations. Among private sector businesses, Tesco Lotus, CP All pcl, Siam Makro pcl, Central Pattana pcl, FamilyMart, Villa Market JP Co Ltd, Super Cheap Co Ltd, CJ Express, Aeon Thana Sinsap (T) pcl, DHL Thailand, Lazada Express Thailand, Kasikornbank pcl, Thai Beverage pcl, Charoen Pokphand group and Sansiri pcl.
The company said one of the network’s aims would be to push for the circular economy by coming up with solutions for resource maximisation, waste separation as well as proper disposal of waste to ensure resource efficiency throughout the manufacturing and consumption cycle.
SCG president/chief executive officer Roongrote Rangsiyopash said that Thailand produced 28 million tonnes of waste last year and without proper waste management and disposal practices, this waste will leak into the oceans, triggering the loss of marine biodiversity.
SCG has incorporated the circular economy principles into its operations and this includes reducing material use and ensuring durability, upgrading and replacing and, reuse and recycle.
The company converted 310,000 tonnes of industrial waste last year into fuel substitutes. SCG has continued to integrate circular economy principles this year into manufacturing and has set a target to reduce single-use plastic to 20 percent by 2025 from 46pc while increasing the use of recyclable plastic packaging to 100pc by 2025.
