EARLY RELEASE “State of Plastics Waste in Asia and the-Pacific - Issues, Challenges and Circular Economic Opportunities” Draft Report Coordinated by Supported by The“State Secretariat of of the Plastics Regional 3R Forum Waste in Asia inand theAsia andMinistry the of the- PacificEnvironment, -Government Issues, of Pacific,Challenges and Circular EconomicJapan (MOEJ) Opportunities” Office of Sound Material Cycle United Nations Centre for Regional Development Society, Waste Management and Recycling (UNCRD) Department a | P a g e Copyright© UNCRD, 2019 This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. The Secretariat of the Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific ([email protected]) would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. 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The Department works in three main interlinked areas: (a) it compiles, generates, and analyses a wide range of economic, social, and environmental data and information on which States Members of the United Nations draw to review common problems and to take stock of policy options; (b) it facilitates the negotiations of Member States in many intergovernmental bodies on joint courses of action to address ongoing or emerging global challenges; and (c) it advises interested Governments on the ways and means of translating policy frameworks developed in United Nations conferences and summits into programmes at the country level and, through technical assistance, helps build national capacities. Relationship between UNCRD and UN DESA The United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) is a project of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations (UN DESA) and, has been administered by the Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG). 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The Centre’s operations have benefited greatly from the cooperative relationship with UN DESA and its valuable and consistent support. c | P a g e Coordinated by: The Secretariat of the Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) Nagono 1-47-1, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya 450-0001, Japan Tel: (+81)-52-561-9377, Fax: (+81)-52-561-9375 Email: [email protected] URL: http://www.uncrd.or.jp Supported by: Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan (MOEJ) Office of Sound Material Cycle Society, Waste Management and Recycling Department 1-2-2 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-8975, Japan Tel: (+81)-3-5521-8336, Fax: (+81)-3-3593-8262 URL: http://www.env.go.jp/en/index.html d | P a g e Authors and Acknowledgements This report was commissioned by the Secretariat of the Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific with inputs from the members countries of the Forum. The report was discussed and reviewed at the Ninth Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific held in Bangkok, Thailand on 4-6 March 2019. UNCRD would like to express its sincere gratitude to all the member countries as well as expert members of the Forum for their valuable contribution and inputs. e | P a g e Abbreviations ABS Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene ADB Asian Development Bank AIT Asian Institute of Technology APEC Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations BPA Bisphenol CRED Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters CSR Corporate Social Responsibility DALYs Disability Adjusted Life Years DDTs Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes D-P-S-I-R Drivers, Pressures, State, Impact and Response EDC Endocrine Disorders EPR Extended Producer Responsibility EPS Expanded Polystyrene FICCI Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry GDP Gross Domestic Product GEO Global Environment Outlook GHG Green House Gas GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GNI Gross National Income GT Gigaton HDPE High Density Polyethylene ISWA International Solid Waste Association JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency LBSA land based sources and activities LCA Life Cycle Assessment LDPE Low density Polyethylene LLDPE Linear Low Density Polyethylene MBI Market Based Instruments MoEJ Ministry of Environment Japan MSW Municipal Solid Waste NGO Non Government Organization OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development PA Polyamide (aliphatic) PAN Polyacrylonitrile PBDE Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether PBT Polybutylene Terephthalate f | P a g e PC Polycarbonate PE Polyethylene PE-HD / PE-MD Polyethylene – high and medium density PE-LD - PE-LLD Polyethylene – low and linear low density PEMRG Plastics Europe Market Research Group PES Polyster PES Polyester PET Polyethylene Terephthalate PFOA Pentadecafluorooctanoic Acid PICT Pacific Island Countries and Territories PMMA Poly(methyl) methacrylate PP Polypropylene PRC People's Republic of China PS Polystyrene PTFE Polytetrafluoroethylene PUR Polyurethane PVC Polyvinyl Chloride PWD Public Works Department RandD Research and Development RSPs Regional Seas Programmes SCCP Short Chain Chlorinated Paraffins SDG Sustainable Development Goal SPREP Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme SWM Solid Waste Management TPES Total Primary Energy Supply ULB Urban Local Bodies UNCRD United Nations Centre for Regional Development UNDESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNEA UN Environemnt Assembly UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNESCAP United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific USEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency UV Ultra Voilet VCM Vinyl Chloride Monomer WMF Waste Minimization Fund WtE Waste to Energy Zn Zinc g | P a g e Table of Contents Authors and Acknowledgements ................................................................................. e Abbreviations ................................................................................................................. f List of Figures ................................................................................................................. j List of Tables .................................................................................................................. l Preface ............................................................................................................................ o Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... i Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Economic Profile ................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Environmental Profile .......................................................................................... 2 1.3 Plastic Waste Management .................................................................................. 3 1.4 Relevance of (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) 3R, Practices and connectivity to SDGs and its Targets ...................................................................................................... 4 1.5 Scope of the Report .............................................................................................. 6 Chapter 2: Material Cycle of Plastic ......................................................................... 11 2.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 11 2.1 Material Cycle of Plastic ...................................................................................