News

A round up of news from around South-east Asia, focussing on initiatives from governments, private sector and civil society towards cleaner seas, less plastic wasted and a more circular economy.


Plastic pollution is a global crisis demanding urgent action by all. The recent briefing session organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with the Development Coordination Office (DCO) shed lig

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Empowering the Invisible: Integrating Informal Waste Pickers in SEA’s Circular Economy

2024-01-24

SEA circular has collaborated with WWF Germany and enlisted the expertise of national and regional professionals in crafting a regional report focused on the integration of informal waste pickers into Extended Producer Responsibil

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UPSI Youth Eco-Innovators Summit 2024: A Resounding Success in Uniting Youth Against Plastic Pollution

2024-01-23

Global plastic waste generation has doubled in two decades, with a staggering 49% originating from the Asia-Pacific region. This looming crisis demands urgent action, and the youth hold immense potential to drive change.

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Empowering Regional Collaboration: Addressing Marine Litter in East Asian Seas

2023-11-01

Marine litter has become an escalating global concern, posing a significant threat to our environment and ecosystems. In East Asian Seas, where the marine environment is a crucial part of the region's identity and economy, address

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Charting a Sustainable Course: Tackling Plastic Pollution in Asia with a Human Rights-Based Approach

2023-10-17

During the Corporate Sustainability and Environmental Rights in Asia conference, which took place on October 5th, 2023, and was jointly hosted by UNEP and UNDP, a pivotal panel discussion titled ‘Plastic Pollution in Asia: Busin

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Regional dialogue on ‘Perceptions on plastic waste: A dialogue on the findings of a regional study and the role of businesses in accelerating circularity’

2023-01-10

Over 150 participants representing government agencies, businesses, start-ups and entrepreneur communities from 20+ countries joined the regional dialogue on ‘Perceptions on plastic waste: A dialogue on the findings of a regiona

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Plastic Credits: Understanding the Risks and Opportunities in Addressing Plastic Pollution

2022-10-12

Plastic Credits: Understanding the Risks and Opportunities in Addressing Plastic Pollution Post-event update Bangkok, 12 October 2022 Over 200 participants from government agencies, industries, businesses, start-ups and entreprene

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Achieving a Circular Plastics Economy through Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

2022-09-12

Achieving a Circular Plastics Economy through Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regional Dialogue Series by SEA circular project Post-event update Bangkok, 12 September 2022 Over 100 par

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Collective Efforts to End Plastic Pollution in South-East Asia

2022-07-02

Collective Efforts to End Plastic Pollution in South-East Asia Official Side Event at the UN Ocean Conference 2022 Post-event update Bangkok, 2 July 2022 Read the event report here. An ambitious global agreement to end plastic po

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(PLASTIK)” – a wake up call to end plastic pollution Bangkok, 6 June 2022 Imagine, a child is drowning in the sea of plastic, people are eating food made of plastic, pets are eating plastic particles – are these not shocking

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Catalyzing Behavioural Change toward Single-Use Plastics in the South-East Asia

2022-04-22

Catalyzing Behavioural Change toward Single-Use Plastics in the South-East Asia Bangkok, 22 April 2022 The 100 Days to #BeatPlasticPollution campaign has set a benchmark with its creative work and successful outreach plan. It has

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Bridging the Policy Gap on Marine Plastic Litter through Data and Research Enhancement in South-East Asia

2022-04-22

Bridging the Policy Gap on Marine Plastic Litter through Data and Research Enhancement in South-East Asia Bangkok, 22 April 2022 A regional virtual consultation was held on 20 April 2022 with participating countries of the Co

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Building Foundation for a Robust National Marine Litter Monitoring Programme in the South-East Asia

2022-04-14

A virtual consultation with SEA circular target countries was held on 4 April, 2022 to strengthen marine litter monitoring efforts in line with Regional Guidance on Harmonized National Marine Litter Monitoring Programmes adopted b

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Regional Guidance on Harmonized National Marine Litter Monitoring Programmes

2022-03-21

Pollution of the world’s oceans by plastic and other anthropogenic solid waste is a transboundary problem. Plastic production, and the consequent loss of plastic solid waste to the environment is growing through time, which is r

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Ending Plastic Pollution Using 10 Acceleration Solutions

2022-03-09

The SEA of Solutions (SOS) 2021 event closed with 10 acceleration solutions through in-depth and constructive dialogues, which set the benchmark for stepping up collective actions to end plastic pollution. These solutions were ide

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Thai Plastic Footprint Reduction Project identifies changes for reducing marine plastic pollution

2021-09-21

Thai Plastic Footprint Reduction Project identifies changes for reducing marine plastic pollution Bangkok, 15 September 2021 The Solid Waste Management Association of Thailand (SWAT) organized an online Roundtable Workshop for the

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Turning the tide on ocean plastic

2021-05-09

Seven Clean Seas was started in 2018 by social entrepreneurs Tom Peacock-Nazil and his wife Pamela Correia, who realized there was a huge opportunity to educate and engage companies to be...

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Waste as an opportunity

2021-05-09

People in Singapore can now join in the global effort to end plastic waste through a new programme launched in April. Clean4Change is a 150-day programme geared to...

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Plastic pollution is never far away in South-East Asia. It’s in the streets, the rivers, the forests, the beaches and almost anywhere else you care to look...

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From straws to pillows

2021-04-23

The Solid Waste Management Association (Thailand) – SWAT – launched their Plastic Footprint Reduction Project by signing a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with...

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