Circular Economic Utilization of
Plastics Waste – Challenges andProspects in Asia-Pacific Region
The 12th 3R Conference for Asian Local Governments
22-23 January 2020
Kitakyushu, JapanAnupam Khajuria
Researcher
United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD)DSDG/UN DESA
1

Plastics the Incredible and UbiquitousMaterial! Where did it come from?

Plastics are derived
from materials foundin nature, such as
natural gas, oil, coal,minerals and plants.

https://www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com/about-plastics/types-of-plastics/what-are-plastics/

The chemistry ofplastics can becomplex andencompasses of manypolymers.
2

When did Plastic
pollution become
ever-present ?

Some 4 Mt to 12 Mt of plastics waste is discarded into
the oceans annually by countries with ocean coastlines.
3

https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution

Why plastics
pollution so
serious in AsiaPacific region?
PR China,Indonesia,
the Philippines,
Vietnam andThailand.
according to a 2017 report by the Ocean Conservancy and the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/09/asia-s-plastic-problem-is-choking-the-world-s-oceans-here-s-how-to-fix-it/

4GenerationanddisposalEstimates
Every year 8 million tonnes
that, there willof discarded plastic ends
be more plastic
up in the ocean, and thethan fish in
the ocean (by situation is getting worse.
weight) by2050.
Roland Geyer et al., 2017
Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever madeNo
Significant
Recycling5

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/02/how-plastics-made-from-plants-could-be-the-answer-to-the-worldswaste-problem

Significant
Economic Loss
and Damage

https://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/264na6_en.pdf
https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/press-release/plastic-waste-causes-financial-damage-us13-billion-marine-ecosystems
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/apr/04/marine-plastic-pollution-costs-the-world-up-to-25bn-a-year-researchers-findhttps://www.asiafundmanagers.com/int/plastic-in-the-oceans/Global mismanaged plastic by region

Mismanaged plastics waste
could eventually enter theocean via inland waterways,
wastewater outflows, andtransport by wind or tides…

https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution7

8 of the world’s 10 most  Yangtze…PR CHINA
polluting rivers are in Asia  Ganges…INDIA,
https://www.unenvironment.org/assets/imgs/2006-06-06T120000Z_1326666739_PBEAHUNMTCN_RTRMADP_3_CHINA.jpg

BANGLADESH
Xi…PR CHINA
Huangpu…PR CHINA
Cross…NIGERIA,CAMEROON
Brantas…INDONESIA
Amazon…BRAZIL,PERU, COLOMBIA,
ECUADOR
Pasig…PHILIPPINES
Irrawaddy…MYANMAR
Solo…INDONESIA8

Laurent C.M. Lebreton et al., 2017 River plastic emissions to the world’s oceans

Plastic pollution
Size categories

Macro

Meso

Micro

Mini-micro≥25mm<25 - 5mm

<5 - 1mm<1mm - 1𝜇m

Plastic waste — whether in a river, an ocean, or onland — can persist in the environment for centuries.
9GESAP, Source, Fate and Effects of Microplastics in the Marine Environment: A Global Assessment, 2015

Marine Personal Care Products
GlobalreleasesofCoatings
Plastic Pellets
primaryRoadmicroplastics to theMarking

world oceans

City Dust

Synthetic
TextilesTyres

Majority (98%) of thelosses of primary
microplastics aregenerated during landbased activities
10Primary Microplastics in the Oceans: a Global Evaluation of Sources, Authors: Julien Boucher, Damien Friot, 2017

Global releases (%) to the World oceans bygeographical area and sources11
https://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/5319

Plastic debris concentrates POPs by factors of 1,000,000
or more from the surrounding environment (Mato, 2011)

Plastic debris
may facilitatetransfer of POPs
to marineorganisms.

275 MT of plastics waste generated in 2010 with
4.8 to 12.7 MT entering the ocean. The ocean
new contains 5.5 trillion pieces of plastics debris(Jambeck, 2015; Erikson, 2014)
Over 690 reported interactions of marine
wildlife with plastics debris, including 208
cases of ingestion (Gall, 2015)
Roughly 12,000 MT of plastic waste will bein landfills or in the natural environment by2050. (Roland Geyer et al., 2017)12

3 key principles
 No waste Value ismaintained Consider
economicframework
conditions

Circular Economy
TECHNICALNUTRIENTS

BIOLOGICALNUTRIENTS

Energy from Renewable Sources
RETHINK: REDUCE-REPAIR-RECYCLE with therule of 3Rs (REDUCE-REUSE-RECYCLE)
13

Adapted from: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_New_Plastics_Economy.pdf

Adapted from: https://sustainabilityguide.eu/sustainability/circular-economy/

Circular economy connected with 4 loops

Reuse
Remanufacturing+VALUE“restorative andregenerative bydesign” and“highest utility andvalue”

Repair,
Maintenance& Upgrade-Re-upcycling
Adapted from: https://sustainabilityguide.eu/sustainability/circular-economy/

14New Plastics
Economy“improving theeconomics andquality of plastic
recycling”

http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_New_Plastics_Economy.pdf and https://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/5123#tocto1n3
https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/our-work/activities/new-plastics-economy/2016-report15

Transitions strategies
 Re-design,

recycle and re-useplastics

 Re-use is an
economicallyattractive option
 Recycling pay

FUNDAMENTAL REDSEIGN &INNOVATION

30%

REUSE

20%

50%
RECYCLING WITH RADICALLYIMPROVED ECONOMICS &QUALITY
16

Adapted from : http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_NEWPLASTICSECONOMY_2017.pdf

Few Recommendations

DPSIR Framework-Responses to reduce the Impact ofDriving
marine litter Identify the main
sources andcategories

Force(Coastal Tourism)
Response Utilize end-ofplastic

Rescue centrefor fauna

 Promote greaterawareness

Impact(Loss of ecosystem)

AwarenessProgramme

Pressure(Littering on beach)
Coastal Clean-up
ProgrammeState(Plastic waste in sea)17

Regional 3R Forum inAsia and the Pacific
3rd
5th
6th
1st
4th
2nd
Japan Malaysia Singapore Vietnam Indonesia Maldives
2011
2014
2015
2009 20102013Tokyo 3R
Statement
9thThailand
2019

Singapore
Recommendation
Upcoming 10th
The RussianFederation 2020

Ha Noi 3R
Declaration(2013-2023)

Bangkok 3R Declaration Towards
Prevention of Plastic Waste Pollution
through 3R and Circular Economy

Surabaya 3R
Declaration

7thSouthAustralia
2016

8thIndia
2018

Male 3R
Declaration
Adelaide 3R
Declaration onCircular Economy
Indore 3R Declaration
on Clean Water, Land,18
Air in Cities

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development Goals

19Source: Adapted from United Nations, 2015

Indore 3R Declaration of Asian Mayors onAchieving Clean Water, Clean Land andClean Air in Cities

46 Mayors signed the voluntary andgood-will Indore 3R Declaration (40Mayors during the 8th Regional 3R
Forum 2018 and 6 Mayors during the
9th Regional 3R Forum 2019).

 Sound management of 3Rs
 Circular economic
development
 Resource efficiency

20
Source: 8th Regional 3R Forum 2018 and 9th Regional 3R Forum 2019

Bangkok 3R Declaration Towards
Prevention of Plastic Waste Pollution
through 3R and Circular Economy

 Identify gaps in existing laws and institutions andregulations
 Prevention of Develop effective 3R policies and programmes Plastic WastePollution
 Support various innovative solutions and necessary
research and development programmes
 Promotion of 3Rand Circular Promote multilayer collaboration
Economy Attach significance of 3R and circular economy
Source: 8th Regional 3R Forum 2019, Bangkok 3R Declaration21

Welcome to all
10th Regional 3R Forum in Asia and thePacific2020
The Russian Federation

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For Your Kind Attention
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