country list: Thailand

State of plastics waste in Asia and the Pacific – Issues, challenges and circular economic opportunities

The scope of this report from the UN Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) includes a description and evaluation of the state of the whole of value chain related to plastic in Asia and the Pacific region. It covers the material cycle of plastic, including production, consumption, waste generation, segregation, treatment and disposal. The key pressures due to plastic wastes are discussed. The report presents ways forward on how Asia and the Pacific countries should address the plastics economy as a way to advance circular economy principles, to work towards achieving clean land, clean water and clean air in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development / SDGs and the Habitat III New Urban Agenda.

Action plan on marine litter is agreed for South-East Asia

Bali, Indonesia – 28 June 2019: Efforts to combat marine litter given a boost by the adoption of East Asian Seas Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter

The Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter was adopted by nine countries – Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the People’s Republic of China, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – participating in the 24th Intergovernmental Meeting of the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), held in Bali, Indonesia, 19-20 June 2019.

East Asian Seas countries generate large volumes of marine litter because of high coastal population, rapid urbanization, poor waste management and intense shipping and fishing vessel activity. A regional approach to tackling marine litter enables coherent and synergistic, and hence more effective, policy and management responses.

Originally developed in 2008, the revised COBSEA Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter will guide efforts in the region to tackle marine litter. It also supports and complements work e.g. through ASEAN, and addresses global priorities identified through the UN Environment Assembly and in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular Sustainable Development Goal 14, target 14.1.

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Addressing the challenge of marine plastic litter using circular economy methods

This working paper from UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) considers the opportunities for designing out waste to retain plastics within the economy and regaining the value embodied in plastics that leaked out of the economy as waste. It reviews continuing efforts for recovering plastics already in oceans, in particular in services, on beaches, ports and coastal waters. It provides strategies to consider, in promoting a circular plastics economy and ending the global marine plastic litter challenge

ASEAN Declaration on Combatting Marine Debris

22 June 2019, Bangkok – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has promised in a joint declaration that its members will take concrete actions to “prevent and significantly reduce marine debris”, through the possible development of an East Asia regional plan of action and guidelines.

South East Asia is a major contributor to the plastic that is choking the world’s oceans, partly due to poor municipal waste management systems. In a 2015 report, the non-profit Ocean Conservancy noted that 55 to 60 percent of plastic waste entering the oceans comes from just five countries, including four in the region: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam. The debris kills marine life and breaks down into microparticles that make their way into seafood eaten by humans.

South East Asian nations have acknowledged their role in the pollution and pledged to curtail it. The Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in ASEAN Region was adopted by leaders of the 10-member ASEAN, which includes four of the world’s top polluters.

In 2018, Malaysia announced that it will eliminate single-use plastic by 2030 and published a roadmap towards achieving the goal. Indonesia, the world’s second largest marine plastic polluter after China, has said that it will spend up to US$1 billion per year to reduce its marine waste by 70 per cent between 2017 and 2025.

The declaration was commended by environmentalists as a good first step for the region, though doubts remained that implementation will be a challenge because the group has a code of non-interference that would leave necessary policymaking in the hands of individual member countries.

SEA circular is working with nine ASEAN countries to support enabling policies and promote the vision and ambition of the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in the ASEAN region.

Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in ASEAN Region:

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Twenty-fourth Intergovernmental Meeting of the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA)

Collaboration to combat marine litter in Thailand

Bangkok, 7 June 2019 – UN Environment, supported by the Government of Sweden, is forging partnerships between Government agencies, the private sector, civil society and academia in Thailand, to tackle the transboundary challenge of marine litter.

A new initiative ‘SEA circular – solving plastic pollution at source’ is focussing on identifying market-based solutions and enabling policies to prevent marine plastic pollution. Striving for less plastic wasted and a more circular economy requires commitment from stakeholders throughout the plastic value chain.

Plastic debris is a major threat to marine ecosystems. Globally, more than 80 per cent of marine plastic litter comes from land-based sources. Rapid growth, combined with inadequate waste management capacity, means that five Asian countries alone – Thailand is one of them – may be responsible for as much as 60 per cent of plastic waste leakage into the oceans.

SEA circular held a Thailand Stakeholder Consultation on Reducing marine litter by addressing the management of the plastic value chain in South East Asia on 7 June 2019. The event was convened by UN Environment, the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East of Asia (COBSEA), and the Thai Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), supported by the Government of Sweden. A wide range of delegates attended, from local government, private sector, academia, civil society organizations, UN agencies and other inter-governmental agencies.

“A healthy environment relies on us seeking solutions to marine plastic pollution by working in partnership with regulators, investors and policymakers, throughout the plastic value chain,” said Isabelle Louis, Deputy Regional Director, UN Environment.

UN Environment encourages a ‘people-centred approach’ to marine waste management, to support the most vulnerable groups impacted by marine litter and to improve the living standards of the informal waste management sector.

The Government of Thailand affirmed their commitment to strengthening partnerships to tackle marine plastic pollution – to meet their objectives in the Roadmap on Plastic Waste Management 2018-2030, and under the ASEAN Framework of Action on Marine Debris. The Government recently announced that they will phase out seven types of plastic items starting in 2019 and completing in 2022 – including plastic bottle cap seals, oxo-type plastics, microbeads, plastic bags of less than 36 microns, foam food containers, single-use plastic cups, and plastic straws. The country also aims to recycle 100% of plastic waste by 2027.

The Food and Drug Administration of Thailand (FDA) outlined plans to revise restrictions on the use of recycled plastic for food packaging, through collaboration between government agencies and the private sector.

Innovative solutions to plastic pollution were presented by influential corporations, including the Siam Cement PLC / SCG, Coca-Cola Thailand Ltd. and IKEA Southeast Asia – who are spearheading new ways to do business, whilst reducing their plastic footprint and minimizing waste to landfill. Local government officials from Rayong and Chiang Mai presented their actions to promote circular economy principles. Grassroots movements such as Trash Hero showcased how they are galvanizing action and raising awareness. Also in attendance were biodegradable packaging company Gracz, Food Industry Association (FIA), Phuket Hotel Association, Swedish Thai Chamber of Commerce and a range of corporations and private sector organisations.

“It is inspiring to hear about the ambitious commitments against plastic pollution here in Thailand. Together, we can work for a more circular economy and cleaner seas,” said  Staffan Herrström, Swedish Ambassador to Thailand.

A new logo and branding for SEA circular were launched during the Thailand Stakeholder Consultation.

Next steps for SEA circular include the first annual ‘SEA of Solutions’ partnership week, at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok, 11-15 November 2019. ‘SEA of Solutions’ will build multi-stakeholder partnerships between governments, the private sector, international investors and innovators, local communities and grassroots organisations, to solve plastic pollution at source.

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About SEA circular: 
‘SEA circular– solving plastic pollution at source’ aims to reduce the adverse impact of marine plastic litter by ensuring that less plastic enters waste streams and is leaked into the marine environment. The project is funded by the Swedish Government and implemented by UN Environment Programme (UN Environment) and the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA). The project works in partnership to involve stakeholders throughout the plastic value chain, from governments, to plastic producers and retailers, to waste managers and consumers, to disadvantaged groups such as coastal communities and informal waste pickers who are most impacted by plastic pollution. SEA circular is operational from 2018 to 2022.

About UN Environment Programme:
UN Environment Programme is the leading global voice on the global environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. UN Environment Programme works with governments, the private sector, the civil society and with other UN entities and international organizations across the world.

About COBSEA:
The Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) oversees the implementation of the East Asian Seas Action Plan to protect the marine and coastal environment for the health and wellbeing of present and future generations in the East Asian Seas region. Efforts are focused on addressing land-based marine pollution; strengthening marine and coastal planning and management; and sharing marine environmental management experiences and policies towards strengthened regional governance. The Secretariat for COBSEA is hosted by Thailand and administered by UN Environment Programme. COBSEA is one of 18 Regional Seas programmes for the sustainable management and use of the marine and coastal environment.


Thailand Stakeholder Consultation on Reducing Marine Litter by Addressing the Management of the Plastic Value Chain in Southeast Asia

Guidelines for the monitoring and assessment of plastic litter in the ocean

These guidelines from the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific  Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) provides recommendations, advice and practical guidance, for the establishment of programmes to monitor and assess the distribution and abundance of plastic litter, also referred to as plastic debris, in the ocean. The intention is to promote a more harmonized approach to the design of sampling programmes, to inform the establishment of national and regional field monitoring programmes.

#CleanSeas – State of our oceans

At the 4th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in Nairobi in 2017, Lewis Pugh spoke about the state of our oceans, under siege from plastic pollution, overfishing and climate change. He supported the launch of UN Environment Programme’s report on the state of the environment, GEO6.

Mapping of global plastics value chain and plastics losses to the environment: With a particular focus on marine environment

This mapping report from the UN Environment Programme provides a comprehensive global mapping of plastic losses to the environment throughout the plastic value chain using 2015 as the reference year. This mapping covers plastics production and processing, use of plastics or plastic containing products, and disposal of the products. It differentiates 23 types of plastics and 13 plastic applications, including division between macro- and micro plastics (including microbeads and microfibers).