Manila: Plastic waste leakage into the environment in Southeast Asian countries, along with China, Japan, and South Korea, could surge by nearly 70% if effective measures are not implemented, according to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
According to Philippines News Agency, the “Regional Plastics Outlook” report highlights that driven by rising incomes and living standards, plastics use in these regions is anticipated to nearly double without more ambitious policies. The member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are expected to experience a near tripling in plastic waste leakage, the report added.
Plastic waste is expected to more than double, while plastic leakage to the environment is projected to increase by 68%, primarily originating from ASEAN lower-middle-income countries and China. The report describes the region as a “hotspot for plastic pollution,” noting that 8.4 million tons of mismanaged plastic waste leaked into the environment in 2022.
The report further notes that regional plastic waste increased from 10 million tons in 1990 to 113 million tons in 2022. Informal and unsafe practices, such as open burning and dumping, continue in most ASEAN countries and China, particularly in rural areas.
Plastic waste is a significant environmental issue, polluting rivers and oceans and posing health risks to wildlife and humans as microplastics enter the body. The report projects that annual leakage into the environment in the region could reach 14.1 million tons by 2050, with 5.1 million tons potentially affecting rivers, coastal areas, and oceans.
The countries in the region show wide disparities in waste management capabilities, with plastic use in 13 countries rising almost ninefold from 17 million tons in 1990 to 152 million tons in 2022. Over half of the plastic used in the region has a lifespan of less than five years, leading to rapid waste accumulation.
The report suggests that plastic use in the region could decrease by 28% through ambitious actions, including bans on single-use plastics and the imposition of taxes, which could also raise the recycling rate to 54% and reduce mismanaged waste by 97%.
In related developments, international talks for a legally binding treaty on plastics pollution resumed in Geneva. This follows previous discussions in South Korea that collapsed due to disagreements among countries over measures to curb plastic output and manage plastic waste.
