Entering its fifth year of operation, the Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (RKC-MPD) of ERIA continues its support for combating marine debris in the ASEAN+3 region. The Centre remains dedicated to driving the transition to a circular economy and achieving plastic-free Southeast Asian seas through research, advocacy, and awareness-raising endeavours.
The Regional Knowledge Centre has consistently reported its activities to and consulted with ASEAN Member States to understand their knowledge and capacity building needs. These consultations occur through working group meetings organised under the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN).
This year, delegates from the Regional Knowledge Centre attended two ASEAN Working Group meetings: the ASEAN Working Group on Chemicals and Waste (AWGCW) and the ASEAN Working Group on Coastal and Marine Environment (AWGCME). The Regional Knowledge Centre has been attending AWGCW meetings since 2018, and AWGCME meetings since 2019 consistently. At these meetings, the delegates shared the Centre’s ongoing efforts to bolster ASEAN’s fight against marine plastic debris.
At the 9th AWGCW meeting, held in Brunei Darussalam on 14 and 15 May 2024, the Regional Knowledge Centre showcased its recent accomplishments, including the renovation of its website and the addition of new informational webpages on topics such as Extended Producer Responsibilities (EPR) and the Research Expertise Catalogue. Furthermore, the Centre presented research publications highly relevant to the context of chemicals and waste, highlighting its continuous contribution to regional developments.
‘Last year, we organised and participated in multiple capacity building and coordination events on topics such as plastics and resin pellets leakage prevention from factories and the informal recycling sector, EPR, and private sector initiatives,’ said Mr Michikazu Kojima, a Senior Research Fellow on Environmental Issues at ERIA.
He also mentioned that ERIA was recently accredited as an Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO) by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and has been actively involved in Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC) meetings held in Nairobi (2023) and Ottawa (2024).
During the 25th AWGCME meeting held in Lao PDR this week, from 24 to 26 June 2024, the Regional Knowledge Centre highlighted its projects focused on coastal and marine environments. One of these projects is the Bioindicator Selection for Marine Litter Monitoring, which recently concluded its first phase in December 2023.
‘Based on questionnaires to experts and government agencies across the region, we found that fish and mussels or other bivalves are the most preferred biota species for marine plastic monitoring, largely due to their accessibility and abundance. Building upon the results from the preliminary study, we will continue the project’s next phase to develop standardised methodologies for marine litter monitoring using bioindicators,’ said Mr Kojima.
He also elaborated on updates from the Floating and Drifted Marine Plastics in Mangrove project, which focused on mobilising local communities in Indonesia to engage in sustainable clean-up activities within mangrove forests. The expected outcomes from this project include guidelines for plastic debris surveys in mangrove forests and workshops to disseminate good practices.
Related to the topic of plastic waste in mangrove ecosystems, he also shared that the Regional Knowledge Centre is currently developing a new webpage on this topic, expected to cover information regarding the current state of plastic pollution in mangrove forests in ASEAN+3, its environmental impacts, and proposed countermeasures.
Research Associate
Entering its fifth year of operation, the Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (RKC-MPD) of ERIA continues its support for combating marine debris in the ASEAN+3 region. The Centre remains dedicated to driving the transition to a circular economy and achieving plastic-free Southeast Asian seas through research, advocacy, and awareness-raising endeavours.
The Regional Knowledge Centre has consistently reported its activities to and consulted with ASEAN Member States to understand their knowledge and capacity building needs. These consultations occur through working group meetings organised under the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN).
This year, delegates from the Regional Knowledge Centre attended two ASEAN Working Group meetings: the ASEAN Working Group on Chemicals and Waste (AWGCW) and the ASEAN Working Group on Coastal and Marine Environment (AWGCME). The Regional Knowledge Centre has been attending AWGCW meetings since 2018, and AWGCME meetings since 2019 consistently. At these meetings, the delegates shared the Centre’s ongoing efforts to bolster ASEAN’s fight against marine plastic debris.
At the 9th AWGCW meeting, held in Brunei Darussalam on 14 and 15 May 2024, the Regional Knowledge Centre showcased its recent accomplishments, including the renovation of its website and the addition of new informational webpages on topics such as Extended Producer Responsibilities (EPR) and the Research Expertise Catalogue. Furthermore, the Centre presented research publications highly relevant to the context of chemicals and waste, highlighting its continuous contribution to regional developments.
‘Last year, we organised and participated in multiple capacity building and coordination events on topics such as plastics and resin pellets leakage prevention from factories and the informal recycling sector, EPR, and private sector initiatives,’ said Mr Michikazu Kojima, a Senior Research Fellow on Environmental Issues at ERIA.
He also mentioned that ERIA was recently accredited as an Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO) by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and has been actively involved in Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC) meetings held in Nairobi (2023) and Ottawa (2024).
During the 25th AWGCME meeting held in Lao PDR this week, from 24 to 26 June 2024, the Regional Knowledge Centre highlighted its projects focused on coastal and marine environments. One of these projects is the Bioindicator Selection for Marine Litter Monitoring, which recently concluded its first phase in December 2023.
‘Based on questionnaires to experts and government agencies across the region, we found that fish and mussels or other bivalves are the most preferred biota species for marine plastic monitoring, largely due to their accessibility and abundance. Building upon the results from the preliminary study, we will continue the project’s next phase to develop standardised methodologies for marine litter monitoring using bioindicators,’ said Mr Kojima.
He also elaborated on updates from the Floating and Drifted Marine Plastics in Mangrove project, which focused on mobilising local communities in Indonesia to engage in sustainable clean-up activities within mangrove forests. The expected outcomes from this project include guidelines for plastic debris surveys in mangrove forests and workshops to disseminate good practices.
Related to the topic of plastic waste in mangrove ecosystems, he also shared that the Regional Knowledge Centre is currently developing a new webpage on this topic, expected to cover information regarding the current state of plastic pollution in mangrove forests in ASEAN+3, its environmental impacts, and proposed countermeasures.
Research Associate
