OECD: Outlook on the Plastic Problem in Southeast and East Asia

However, implementing ambitious, full-lifecycle plastic policies across the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) region alone would already yield significant regional benefits. Compared with the baseline scenario, the highly stringent policy scenario could reduce regional plastic use in APT countries by 28% by 2050 (from 280 million tonnes to 201 million tonnes) and plastic waste by 23% (from 242 million tonnes to 186 million tonnes). Recycled plastic could fully meet the growth in plastic demand, keeping virgin plastic use below its 2022 level. Average plastic recycling rates are projected to rise to 54%, while mismanaged waste would decline by 97%. The macroeconomic cost of nearly eliminating plastic leakage emissions in the region is relatively modest—0.8% GDP loss in 2050 relative to the baseline—but costs are unevenly distributed: by 2050, ASEAN countries’ costs, expressed as a share of GDP (averaging 2.4%), are significantly higher than those of the Plus Three countries (0.3%), with ASEAN’s lower-middle-income countries bearing the heaviest burden (2.8%). This unequal cost distribution—and the disproportionately high burden on ASEAN countries—underscores the importance of strengthened regional cooperation to ensure all countries possess the necessary capacities and support. Comprehensive yet targeted strategies are critical for policy effectiveness. Ending plastic pollution across the ASEAN Plus Three region requires integrated management approaches aligned with countries’ socioeconomic conditions, infrastructure readiness, and institutional capacity. Access to waste collection and environmentally sound disposal is essential; gaps in disposal infrastructure—especially in rural and underserved areas—are key drivers of mismanaged waste and plastic leakage. For example, several ASEAN countries—including Cambodia and Laos—urgently need substantial improvements in this area. Setting waste collection targets, deploying domestic financing instruments, and implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes (already applied to packaging and durable goods in Japan and Korea, and gradually being rolled out for packaging in six ASEAN countries) can effectively expand the coverage of collection systems. Dramatically scaling up recycling requires introducing and refining household-level source separation of waste, making major investments in recycling infrastructure, optimizing incentives for recyclable product design, and establishing market incentives for recycled materials. The informal sector—which plays a critical role in waste collection and sorting—needs closer integration with the formal sector. For instance, informal waste workers can be formally recognized as service providers under EPR schemes. Slowing the growth in plastic demand across APT countries is also vital, requiring expanded policy scope—including targeted measures for problematic plastics (e.g., short-lived and hard-to-recycle plastics), eco-design, mandatory recycled content standards, chemical regulation, material and product innovation, and enhanced support for and infrastructure investment in reuse systems. Clear and predictable policy frameworks build market confidence and unlock finance, as interventions across the plastic lifecycle require large-scale investment. Highly stringent policies could cap total waste management investment needs across the ASEAN Plus Three region between 2022 and 2050 at USD 1.1 trillion.

Rethinking Plastics in the Context of the Circular Economy: Ensuring Supply of Waste Plastics

02 Current Status of Plastic Recycling Statistics show that only about 14–18% of plastic has been recycled annually since 2018. Another study, launched in 2017, found that just 9% of all plastic produced between 1950 and 2015 was recycled. Plastic waste leaking into oceans is projected to nearly triple—from 11 million tonnes in 2016 to 29 million tonnes by 2040. At this rate, the cumulative amount of plastic in oceans is likely to quadruple, reaching nearly 600 million tonnes. As public concern over plastic pollution intensifies, policymakers have begun rolling out a suite of measures to curb it—including upgrading plastic recycling systems. 03 Stimulating Demand for Plastic Recycling To promote advanced, novel plastic recycling technologies, it is essential to convince both the recycling industry and financial institutions that plastic recycling holds enormous market potential. Stimulating demand for recycled plastic is therefore an excellent entry point—it can boost new recycling capacity, attract investment, and drive further innovation. 04 Ensuring Supply of Waste Plastics The plastic industry faces a fundamental imbalance: while demand for recycled plastic is surging, the supply of post-consumer plastic waste remains severely constrained. Alongside further stimulating demand for recycled plastic, the industry must also take concrete steps to expand supply. These include, but are not limited to: A Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Schemes EPR schemes can help alleviate the shortage of plastic recycling feedstock in two ways. First, EPR places responsibility for products after consumer use on packaging producers, importers, and brand owners—thereby encouraging companies to invest in waste collection, sorting, and recycling. Second, EPR requires brands to bear the costs of managing post-consumer products, aiming to incentivize better material choices at the design stage. However, success hinges on implementation details. B Deposit-Refund Systems (DRS) Deposit-refund systems (DRS) require consumers to pay a small, refundable deposit on each plastic container—a historically oldest and most effective policy for boosting waste collection rates. Germany introduced its DRS in 2002, setting a benchmark for EU member states. Today in Germany, only 1–3% of single-use plastic bottles remain uncollected. C Policies Tailored to National Contexts In 2021, 187 countries jointly established rules to sharply restrict global trade in plastic waste and scrap. As China reduced imports of plastic waste, the Basel Convention was amended in 2019 to address improper disposal of plastic waste and reduce leakage into landfills and the environment.

Thailand Needs Clearer EPR Rules to Lift Recycled Plastics Use – Union J Plus

20 hours ago

Union J Plus calls for clearer Thai EPR regulations to increase recycled plastics adoption amid feedstock cost barriers and lengthy customer testing. The recycler highlights its FDA-approved process for cosmetics packaging as a key demand driver despite supply challenges.

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2026-11-03

Thailand Needs Clearer EPR Rules to Lift Recycled Plastics Use – Union J Plus

Thailand Needs Clearer EPR Rules to Lift Recycled Plastics Use – Union J Plus

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