Day 1: Sustainable production and consumption for less plastic waste
16 November 2021
The first day of SEA of Solutions 2021 explored how a new wave of environmentally-conscious consumers, and innovations in packaging design, can tackle the plastic crisis in Southeast Asia. Government representatives, business leaders, community and youth representatives highlighted the urgency in tackling plastic waste, 37 million tonnes of which is projected to enter the ocean annually by 2040 — three times today’s volume. Half of plastic produced is used only once, and only 9 per cent is recycled.
The event opened with the launch of the Malaysian government’s National Marine Litter Policy and Action Plan 2021 – 2030 which outlined measures to tackle plastic pollution in the country. The policy was devised with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - SEA circular project through the sponsorship of the Government of Sweden. Malaysia’s Marine Litter Policy is anchored in five priority pillars that will be implemented through 17 action plans as well as 103 key actions and activities.
Experts speaking at the launch acknowledged the investment gap that has to be plugged in order to scaffold policies to tackle plastic waste. Public-private partnerships and blended finance were pegged as potential solutions to this issue of funding. A chorus of voices from across Malaysia’s community acted as a reminder that no solution is viable unless there is meaningful engagement with the country’s citizens, industry and non-governmental organisations.
The Covid-19 pandemic has put the progress made in creating a circular economy for plastic into reverse in Southeast Asia, and the best strategies for recovering lost ground were debated. Introducing a pan-ASEAN tax on plastic was mooted, but policymakers should be wary of the impacts on producers, consumers and low-income communities. A global treaty on plastic pollution, which could be negotiated in February 2022 at the United Nations Environment Assembly 5.2, was also considered.
Consumers are increasingly demanding action to reduce plastic pollution, driven by the pandemic, and industry has started to respond. But solutions should be customized and localized to maximize positive impacts to reduce waste. Sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic should be more visible, accessible and affordable, and policymakers need to be mindful that solutions are genuinely circular, and do not replace one disposable material with another.
Businesses are under consumer pressure to reduce their plastic footprint, but are finding it hard to source cost-effective sustainable alternatives, while smaller businesses are not sufficiently resourced to experiment with new packaging options.
Greater collaboration is needed between the public and private sector to bring innovative plastic packaging solutions to scale so that they are affordable and can function in developing countries that are still in the nascent stages of recycling plastic. Policies that support the use of recycled plastic in packaging and take some steps to incentivise the responsible management of waste by larger commercial brands could be good first steps to help reduce waste and environmental pollution. Economic interventions such as financial incentives for more recyclable packaging and better reporting, have the potential to drive down waste and help to ensure there is a circular solution. Crucially, reducing how much packaging is used must be central to policies and company strategies. The circular economy cannot be relied on to solve the plastic crisis, instead rapid reduction must be a priority.