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Bangkok, 6 March 2024: As Southeast Asian countries move toward addressing the urgent issue of plastic pollution, one policy instrument has gained increasing attention as a solution to tackle plastic leakage from its source. The Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, and Viet Nam have all taken initial steps to implement the extended producer responsibility (EPR) principle, where plastic producers and importers bear responsibility for improving product designs for sustainability and managing the end-of-life phase of their products.
More and more countries in the region are exploring the adoption of EPR into their legal frameworks, especially amid ongoing discussions surrounding the Global Plastics Treaty. With the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) slated for April in Ottawa, Canada, stakeholders are gearing up to advocate for strict, or at the very least less stringent, legally binding EPR provisions.
As momentum grows, ERIA's Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (the Centre) convened its Experts Working Group (EWG) on Marine Plastic Debris in Bangkok on 6 March, 2024, to deliberate the implications of imposing EPR under the Global Plastics Treaty for ASEAN Member States (AMS). The meeting served as a platform for experts to share insights into EPR challenges, opportunities, and best practices, fostering dialogue not only among themselves but also with representatives from the private sector and global stakeholders.
EPR Frameworks and Good Practices in ASEAN+3
ERIA set the stage with Mr Michikazu Kojima, Senior Advisor, outlining EPR schemes across the ASEAN+3 region. This included established systems in Japan and South Korea, along with emerging frameworks in development by Malaysia and Thailand. Mr Kojima highlighted challenges countries may face during the initial stages of EPR implementation, such as fluctuating market prices for plastic waste and limited collection and recycling infrastructure. However, he also emphasised measures to overcome these hurdles, citing examples of good practices from both within and outside the region.
Ms Nguyen Hoang Phuong, founder and Policy and Legislative Chief Consultant of e-Policy Consulting Limited, provided insights into Viet Nam’s EPR implementation.
‘Recognizing the importance of our Đồng nát or waste collectors, Viet Nam adopts a hybrid approach, which involves both formal and informal sectors throughout the life cycle management,’ said Ms Nguyen.
Viet Nam’s hybrid economic model, institutionalised through the enactment of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, assigns different responsibilities to producers for various products under EPR, including treatment and recycling.
Asst Prof Dr Panate Manomaivibool, Lecturer at Mae Fa Luang University, shared Thailand’s progress in advancing EPR through the draft Act on Sustainable Management of Packaging. This proposed legislation aims to impose comprehensive responsibilities on enterprises covering all phases of the plastic life cycle from upstream to downstream. Dr Manomaivibool also highlighted existing voluntary pilot programmes initiated by the private sector, indicating their readiness for the forthcoming mandatory EPR model.
Private Sector Role in Enhancing EPR
Delving deeper into Thailand’s voluntary EPR initiatives, representatives from three prominent companies shed light on the substantial role of the private sector in enhancing its EPR implementation.
SCG Chemicals Public Company Limited is boosting the development of high value-added (HVA) products through its i2P (Ideas to Product) Centre, in line with the circular economy principle. Mr Pornchai Sangrungsri, the centre’s manager, explained how his team is innovating green materials across different industries, ranging from packaging and automotive to medical products and energy.
‘We’ve initiated the NetsUp project, dedicated to collecting discarded fishing nets from local communities and recycling them into high quality post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin,’ he said. ‘This resin will be further processed into marine materials and upcycled into new products like t-shirts.’
Ms Nattinee Netraumpai, Head of Corporate Affairs and Board of Director at Unilever Thailand, outlined the company’s commitment to realising a waste-free world. Unilever has applied innovations to its plastic packaging to reduce plastic use, enhance recyclability, and promote the use of recycled plastic content.
‘To ensure that recyclable plastic packaging waste circulates within a closed-loop system, Unilever is advocating for systematic change through EPR that will lead to better product design choices and higher recycling rates,’ she said.
The Thai private sector, in alignment with these efforts, jointly established the Public Private Partnership for Sustainable Plastic and Waste Management (PPP Plastic) to foster multistakeholder collaboration in addressing the plastic waste issue in Thailand. Dr Orathai Pongruktham, Taskforce Leader of PPP Plastic and Sustainability Project Manager at Dow Thailand Group, outlined pilot projects under the partnership aimed at sustainable waste management models, such as the Smart Recycling Hub.
‘Moreover, we are driving EPR development through the PackBack Project in collaboration with the Pollution Control Department of Thailand,’ she said. ‘This initiative has enabled the establishment of the EPR Thailand Roadmap and the implementation of an EPR sandbox model in three municipalities in Chonburi Province from 2021 to 2023.’
Case Studies on Global Practices in EPR Implementation
ASEAN countries stand to gain from global knowledge exchange on EPR implementation, acknowledging that it is not a one-size-fits-all solution, to tailor frameworks to their specific context. To facilitate this, the EWG meeting welcomed Dr Maarten Dubois, Sustainability & Circular Economy Director at Deloitte Consulting Belgium, to share regulatory developments in European EPR. Dr Dubois spoke of how combining EPR with waste segregation, eco-modulation, taxes, levies, and pay-as-you-throw policies for waste management could strengthen EPR implementation efforts.
Mr Ruben Bibas, an Economist from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), provided insights from the Regional Plastics Outlook, offering valuable information on current plastic flows and policy landscape in the ASEAN+3 region.
‘Building upon this comprehensive stocktaking exercise, we’ve formulated projections and policy scenarios to bolster action against plastic pollution in the region,’ Mr Bibas said, emphasising the importance of informed policymaking and collaborative efforts in addressing this pressing issue.
EPR Within the Global Plastics Treaty
Negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty kept all options open during the third session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC-3), setting the stage for delegates to strive for consensus in the upcoming session in April. Guided by Prof Dr Agamuthu Pariatamby, from the Jeffrey Sachs Centre on Sustainable Development at Sunway University, the EWG delved into the EPR options outlined in the INC-3 revised zero draft, examining its potential courses and alignment with existing global and regional policies on plastic waste management.
Dr Yasuhiko Hotta, Programme Director of Sustainable Consumption and Production at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), provided insights into the EPR options in the revised zero draft. He highlighted the varying degrees of mandates across the four options, from the first option, which proposes a stronger mandate to establish a legal instrument related to EPR, to the fourth option, which encourages member states to consider EPR based on national circumstances and capabilities.
‘Regardless of the Treaty’s direction, it is crucial to recognise that EPR is not the silver bullet to overcome plastic pollution. We need to resolve issues like free riders and stakeholder engagement to effectively implement EPR provisions under the Treaty,’ Dr Hotta said.
Ms Chochoe Devaporihartakula, IGES Programme Manager, underscored the institute’s involvement in the INC negotiations, highlighting its contributions during the third session in November last year. IGES actively participated in thematic webinars and side events focusing on national action plans and treaty progress monitoring, spotlighting ASEAN's strides in plastic waste management.
Ms Devaporihartakula also emphasised that IGES has provided input on realistic goals, data harmonisation, capacity building, knowledge sharing, and local implementation in relation to the INC processes, reinforced by its collaboration with the Centre. She advocated for active, inclusive stakeholder dialogue through consultations and webinars, essential for developing a unified, comprehensive strategy to effectively address the global challenge of plastic pollution.
Research Associate
Bangkok, 6 March 2024: As Southeast Asian countries move toward addressing the urgent issue of plastic pollution, one policy instrument has gained increasing attention as a solution to tackle plastic leakage from its source. The Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, and Viet Nam have all taken initial steps to implement the extended producer responsibility (EPR) principle, where plastic producers and importers bear responsibility for improving product designs for sustainability and managing the end-of-life phase of their products.
More and more countries in the region are exploring the adoption of EPR into their legal frameworks, especially amid ongoing discussions surrounding the Global Plastics Treaty. With the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) slated for April in Ottawa, Canada, stakeholders are gearing up to advocate for strict, or at the very least less stringent, legally binding EPR provisions.
As momentum grows, ERIA's Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (the Centre) convened its Experts Working Group (EWG) on Marine Plastic Debris in Bangkok on 6 March, 2024, to deliberate the implications of imposing EPR under the Global Plastics Treaty for ASEAN Member States (AMS). The meeting served as a platform for experts to share insights into EPR challenges, opportunities, and best practices, fostering dialogue not only among themselves but also with representatives from the private sector and global stakeholders.
EPR Frameworks and Good Practices in ASEAN+3
ERIA set the stage with Mr Michikazu Kojima, Senior Advisor, outlining EPR schemes across the ASEAN+3 region. This included established systems in Japan and South Korea, along with emerging frameworks in development by Malaysia and Thailand. Mr Kojima highlighted challenges countries may face during the initial stages of EPR implementation, such as fluctuating market prices for plastic waste and limited collection and recycling infrastructure. However, he also emphasised measures to overcome these hurdles, citing examples of good practices from both within and outside the region.
Ms Nguyen Hoang Phuong, founder and Policy and Legislative Chief Consultant of e-Policy Consulting Limited, provided insights into Viet Nam’s EPR implementation.
‘Recognizing the importance of our Đồng nát or waste collectors, Viet Nam adopts a hybrid approach, which involves both formal and informal sectors throughout the life cycle management,’ said Ms Nguyen.
Viet Nam’s hybrid economic model, institutionalised through the enactment of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, assigns different responsibilities to producers for various products under EPR, including treatment and recycling.
Asst Prof Dr Panate Manomaivibool, Lecturer at Mae Fa Luang University, shared Thailand’s progress in advancing EPR through the draft Act on Sustainable Management of Packaging. This proposed legislation aims to impose comprehensive responsibilities on enterprises covering all phases of the plastic life cycle from upstream to downstream. Dr Manomaivibool also highlighted existing voluntary pilot programmes initiated by the private sector, indicating their readiness for the forthcoming mandatory EPR model.
Private Sector Role in Enhancing EPR
Delving deeper into Thailand’s voluntary EPR initiatives, representatives from three prominent companies shed light on the substantial role of the private sector in enhancing its EPR implementation.
SCG Chemicals Public Company Limited is boosting the development of high value-added (HVA) products through its i2P (Ideas to Product) Centre, in line with the circular economy principle. Mr Pornchai Sangrungsri, the centre’s manager, explained how his team is innovating green materials across different industries, ranging from packaging and automotive to medical products and energy.
‘We’ve initiated the NetsUp project, dedicated to collecting discarded fishing nets from local communities and recycling them into high quality post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin,’ he said. ‘This resin will be further processed into marine materials and upcycled into new products like t-shirts.’
Ms Nattinee Netraumpai, Head of Corporate Affairs and Board of Director at Unilever Thailand, outlined the company’s commitment to realising a waste-free world. Unilever has applied innovations to its plastic packaging to reduce plastic use, enhance recyclability, and promote the use of recycled plastic content.
‘To ensure that recyclable plastic packaging waste circulates within a closed-loop system, Unilever is advocating for systematic change through EPR that will lead to better product design choices and higher recycling rates,’ she said.
The Thai private sector, in alignment with these efforts, jointly established the Public Private Partnership for Sustainable Plastic and Waste Management (PPP Plastic) to foster multistakeholder collaboration in addressing the plastic waste issue in Thailand. Dr Orathai Pongruktham, Taskforce Leader of PPP Plastic and Sustainability Project Manager at Dow Thailand Group, outlined pilot projects under the partnership aimed at sustainable waste management models, such as the Smart Recycling Hub.
‘Moreover, we are driving EPR development through the PackBack Project in collaboration with the Pollution Control Department of Thailand,’ she said. ‘This initiative has enabled the establishment of the EPR Thailand Roadmap and the implementation of an EPR sandbox model in three municipalities in Chonburi Province from 2021 to 2023.’
Case Studies on Global Practices in EPR Implementation
ASEAN countries stand to gain from global knowledge exchange on EPR implementation, acknowledging that it is not a one-size-fits-all solution, to tailor frameworks to their specific context. To facilitate this, the EWG meeting welcomed Dr Maarten Dubois, Sustainability & Circular Economy Director at Deloitte Consulting Belgium, to share regulatory developments in European EPR. Dr Dubois spoke of how combining EPR with waste segregation, eco-modulation, taxes, levies, and pay-as-you-throw policies for waste management could strengthen EPR implementation efforts.
Mr Ruben Bibas, an Economist from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), provided insights from the Regional Plastics Outlook, offering valuable information on current plastic flows and policy landscape in the ASEAN+3 region.
‘Building upon this comprehensive stocktaking exercise, we’ve formulated projections and policy scenarios to bolster action against plastic pollution in the region,’ Mr Bibas said, emphasising the importance of informed policymaking and collaborative efforts in addressing this pressing issue.
EPR Within the Global Plastics Treaty
Negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty kept all options open during the third session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC-3), setting the stage for delegates to strive for consensus in the upcoming session in April. Guided by Prof Dr Agamuthu Pariatamby, from the Jeffrey Sachs Centre on Sustainable Development at Sunway University, the EWG delved into the EPR options outlined in the INC-3 revised zero draft, examining its potential courses and alignment with existing global and regional policies on plastic waste management.
Dr Yasuhiko Hotta, Programme Director of Sustainable Consumption and Production at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), provided insights into the EPR options in the revised zero draft. He highlighted the varying degrees of mandates across the four options, from the first option, which proposes a stronger mandate to establish a legal instrument related to EPR, to the fourth option, which encourages member states to consider EPR based on national circumstances and capabilities.
‘Regardless of the Treaty’s direction, it is crucial to recognise that EPR is not the silver bullet to overcome plastic pollution. We need to resolve issues like free riders and stakeholder engagement to effectively implement EPR provisions under the Treaty,’ Dr Hotta said.
Ms Chochoe Devaporihartakula, IGES Programme Manager, underscored the institute’s involvement in the INC negotiations, highlighting its contributions during the third session in November last year. IGES actively participated in thematic webinars and side events focusing on national action plans and treaty progress monitoring, spotlighting ASEAN's strides in plastic waste management.
Ms Devaporihartakula also emphasised that IGES has provided input on realistic goals, data harmonisation, capacity building, knowledge sharing, and local implementation in relation to the INC processes, reinforced by its collaboration with the Centre. She advocated for active, inclusive stakeholder dialogue through consultations and webinars, essential for developing a unified, comprehensive strategy to effectively address the global challenge of plastic pollution.
Research Associate
