Plastic Waste Management in Asia Pacific Region: Issues and Challenges

Abstract

Rapidly growing plastic usage and its subsequent release into the natural environment significantly increase the amounts of plastics entering oceans and require urgent action on a global scale. As the world's fastest-growing economies, Asia-Pacific countries have a very high material footprint as well as a plastic footprint. Massive urbanization, rapid industrialization, and changing production and consumption practices made many countries in the region as the world's most significant contributors of plastic litter. According to studies, around 60% of the total mismanaged plastic waste is coming from the region. In this paper, a few common challenges faced by these countries inadequately managing their plastic waste are identified. This includes inefficient waste management systems, high rates of informal waste picking and treatment, and insufficient waste legislations. It is also found that the primary cause of marine plastic pollution is unsustainable human activities, and the significant pathways of land-based plastic litter to the oceans are rivers.