Context:
Globally, over 460 million metric tons of plastic are produced each year, with around 20 million tons ending up in the environment annually — a number expected to rise by 2040. Only 9% of plastics are properly recycled, leading to severe impacts on ecosystems, human health, and local economies, especially in coastal communities.
Southeast Asia is a major hotspot, with six ASEAN member states among the top ten ocean plastic polluters, collectively generating 31.7 million tons of plastic waste annually — much of it uncollected or illegally dumped. After China banned plastic waste imports in 2017, ASEAN countries saw a surge in waste shipments, worsening management challenges. While some nations have introduced restrictions, regional cooperation remains limited.
Objective:
The Southeast Asia Regional Program on Combating Marine Plastics (SEA-MaP) aims to establish a regional platform to support innovation and investments in plastic and plastic waste management in the ASEAN region.
Approach
The Regional Platform for Innovation and Investments, part of the Southeast Asia Regional Program on Combating Marine Plastics (SEA-MaP) and financed by the World Bank, is dedicated to supporting the ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris (RAP). RAP, established in 2021, aims to address marine plastic pollution by reducing plastic use, boosting recycling efforts, and enhancing reuse within ASEAN, with the private sector playing a critical role. This initiative builds on the ASEAN Framework of Action's pillars to bolster policy, innovation, public awareness, and private-sector collaboration. Key outcomes include connecting innovators with investors, enhancing collaboration, using AI to match needs with solutions, providing access to best practices, and running outreach campaigns. Its core activities encompass a financing marketplace, technical assistance for innovation development, and communication efforts to boost awareness, partnerships, and sector-wide collaboration across ASEAN.