Eco-Innovation in the Waste Management sector towards SCP and Circular Economy SCP and Circular Management sector towards Waste Eco-Innovation in the Eco-Innovation in the Waste Management sector towards SCP and Circular Economy Case Studies on Plastics in selected ASEM countries Published by : ASEM SMEs Eco-Innovation Center (ASEIC) E-2nd FL, Pangyo Inno-Valley 255 Pangyo-ro Bundang-gu Seongnamsi Gyeonggido, Korea 13486 Published by: ASEM SMEs Eco-Innovation Center (ASEIC) E-2FL, Pangyo Inno-Valley 255 Pangyo-ro Bundang-gu Seongnamsi Gyeonggido, Korea 13486 January 2019 ISBN 979-11-963899-6-3 95530 This report is written based on the results of the research project “2018 ASEM Eco-Innovation Index (ASEI) Joint Study“. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of the ASEM SMEs Eco-Innovation Center (ASEIC), Ernst & Young Han Young or the government or institutions authors represent. This Research Project and ASEIC’s contributions were made with the financial support of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups of the Republic of Korea. This publication can be downloaded from the ASEIC website (http://www.aseic.org), and further requests can be accessed at [email protected] List of Contributors Foreword Authors ASEM SMEs Eco-Innovation Center (ASEIC) developed the ASEM Eco-Innovation Index (ASEI) in 2012 and measured • Mi Hoon Jeong, Senior Researcher, ASEM SMEs Eco-Innovation Center, Republic of Korea • Ernst & Young Han Young, Republic of Korea eco-innovation status across ASEM member states each year. Understanding the status forms the basis for eco- innovation dialogue between Asia and Europe and contributes to effective strategies and international cooperation Authors for Selected Country Case studies in the ASEM regions. Since there is a wide discrepancy between Asia and Europe in terms of data availability, ASEI • Michal Miedzinski, Senior Research Associate, UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources, United Kingdom • Stijn van Ewijk, Research Associate, UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources, United Kingdom has been continually improved and updated, and supplementary reports have been issued in parallel. Country • Byung Sun Lee, Head of Research Center, Forcebel Co. Ltd., Republic of Korea • Souvik Bhattacharjya, Fellow, Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India reports for 10 Asia countries, including India, Mongolia, the Philippines, Australia (2017), Singapore, Thailand (2016), • Trung Thang Nguyen, Deputy Director General, Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment, Vietnam Vietnam, Japan, Myanmar, Republic of Korea (2015) were published sequentially. • Lusy Widowati, Director, PT Tiga Daun Engineering, Republic of Indonesia This year eco-innovation sectoral study for selected countries was designed to provide a chance to explore more • Emmy Suryandari, Head of Division for Energy and Water Management, Ministry of Industry, Republic of Indonesia closely by sector and to better understand ASEM countries in this sector. Waste management has been chosen as • Isnazunita Ismail, General Manager, Environmental Technology Research Centre, SIRIM, Malaysia the first theme, focusing on the plastic waste that have received great attention recently. Waste management is one of the areas that need more consideration and international supports in Asian countries and is essential to move towards Circular Economy and Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 12, Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP). This report provides information on each country’s political instruments in the waste management sector, overall status, best practices, lessons learnt, and recent efforts and concerns. We sincerely thank all authors for making this report possible by studying and writing their own country part, designing the report structure and providing feedback. We hope that this report will promote more active dialogue and international cooperation in the ASEM regions. Sejong Kim ASEIC Secretary General Table of Contents Chapter 1. Introduction 1.1 Introduction of Non-biodegradable Waste 04 1.1.1 Importance of waste management 04 1.1.2 Non-biodegradable wastes and the matter of plastic 05 1.1.3 Plastic on the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) 07 1.1.4 Plastic on Eco-innovation approach 08 1.2 Research Design 09 Chapter 2. Efforts towards Waste Management and Circular Economy 2.1 European Union 10 2.1.1 Waste collection and management system 10 2.1.2 Key trends in plastic waste disposal 11 2.1.3 Beyond waste management: eco-innovation and circular economy 12 2.1.4 Lessons learned 14 2.2 Republic of Korea 15 2.2.1 Waste collection and management system 17 2.2.2 Key trends of plastic waste disposal 19 2.2.3 Beyond waste management: Eco-innovation and circular economy 21 2.2.4 Lessons learned 24 2.3 India 26 2.3.1 Waste generation, collection and management system 26 2.3.2 Beyond waste management: Eco-innovation and circular economy 37 2.3.3. Lessons learned 38 2.4 Viet Nam 40 2.4.1 Waste collection and management system 41 2.4.2. Key trends of plastic waste disposal 44 2.4.3. Beyond waste management: Eco-innovation and circular economy 46 2.4.4. Lessons learned 47 2.5 Indonesia 49 2.5.1 Plastic waste disposal 57 2.5.2 Plastic on circular economy 61 2.5.3 Eco-innovation approach 64 2.6 Malaysia 68 2.6.1 Waste collection and management system 72 2.6.2 Key trends of plastic waste disposal 74 2.6.3. Beyond waste management: Eco-innovation and circular economy 75 2.6.4 Lessons Learned 77 Chapter 3. Conclusion 79 Reference 80 Chapter 1. Introduction 1.1 Introduction of Non-biodegradable Waste 1.1.1 Importance of waste management Figure 2 UN Sustainable Development Goals Waste management is one of the most important public advocacies. According to the UNEP, annual figure for urban waste generation reached approximately 7 to 10 billion tons in OECD countries . While waste conceptually 1 2 undergoing the process of collection , segregation, recovery and disposal by landfill or incineration process , most wastes typically accumulates at the landfill stage. Figure 1 Solid Waste Management Diagram Hazardous Waste for Treatment & Disposal 3R 3R 3R Residential Industrial & Commercial Services(Healthcare, Laboratory,etc.) Methane & heat Energy (Source: United Nations, 2018) Collection of Waste Segregation The concept of adequate waste management is also connected to the ASEM Eco-Innovation Index (ASEI), the index Treatment of Waste Recycling waste Recovery (organic & inorganic) Resources developed by the ASEM SMEs Eco-innovation Center (ASEIC). The ASEI fundamentally assesses the sustainability Waste Exchange Final waste of Asia and Europe, and it is a comprehensive index that consists of four main categories: Capacity, Supporting Discarded waste 04 Plastics, wood, steel, paper, Environment, Activity and Performance. Among those categories, Supporting Environment and Performance well 05 towards SCP and Circular Economy SCP and Circular towards sector Management Waste the in Eco-Innovation glass, and compost/biogas 5 Introduction Chapter 1. corresponds with this issue of waste management . Final disposal Despite global endeavors to handle waste management, it is especially a challenge for disposal of non- biodegradable wastes since non-biodegradable wastes’ innate character is not decomposable over time. (Source: UNEP, 2009) Developing countries are especially in severe condition as there are lack of collection coverage as well as controlled disposal. The World Bank pointed out that, while 20 to 50 percent of municipal budgets are directed on solid waste 1.1.2 Non-biodegradable wastes and the matter of plastic 3 management, 30 to 60 percent of urban solid waste are uncollected in developing countries . Uncontrolled landfill Non-biodegradable waste (NBDW) is a composite term of the words ‘non-biodegradable’ and ‘waste.’ To is especially prevalent in municipal level, and this untreated wastes on open sites often cause public health concerns understand what NBDW means, one should understand what ‘non-biodegradable’ means to further identify the and environmental pollution issues. Therefore, preventing this accumulation by adequate waste management will meaning of NBDW. enhance global competence to alleviate environmental challenges the world is currently facing. 6 Biodegradable means being able to decompose under natural environment . In natural condition, organic International entities repeatedly raise issues associated with waste management to address and improve global substances break down into smaller substances all the way down to organic molecules. In other words, non- eco-friendly performance level. In line with this fashion, UN’s 12th goal of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), biodegradable substances will not decompose in biological process. While the United Nations Statistics Division ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’ deeply aligns with this notion of waste management. According to (UNSD) defining wastes as “materials that are not prime products (that is, products produced for the market) for the UN SDGs, it is a fundamental obligation for countries under the UN convention to manage one’s responsible 7 which the generator has no further use ,” non-biodegradable waste thus means indecomposable materials with consumption and production level, and the countries “are requested to regularly report data and information” 4 no further economic value. associated with wastes . 1. UNEP, 2015, The Mounting Problem: World's Cities Produce up to 10 Billion Tonnes of Waste Each Year, UN Study Estimates