Scientists and conservationists are increasingly concerned about the impacts of plastic pollution on mangrove ecosystems. These biodiversity hotspots provide a wide range of benefits to the many organisms that live in them and the communities that live near them. As mangroves primarily grow in estuarine areas between river and sea, they are particularly vulnerable to plastic pollution.
The ASEAN region is home to more than 40 percent of the world’s total mangrove area. Although the dangers of deforestation in these ecosystems are relatively well understood, further study is needed into the impacts of plastic waste.
This section provides case studies from around the ASEAN+3 region, highlighting negative ecosystem impacts and the on-site countermeasures being taken across the region.
