Furthermore, 60% of it comes from Asia.
Across the ASEAN region, we can see waste and plastic polluting beaches, the ocean, and delicate ecosystems like coral reefs, as well as harming marine animals who frequently mistake it for food.
Plastic also takes hundreds of years to degrade, breaking down into tiny particles that mix into seawater and are difficult to filter out. These so-called microplastics affect life all along the food chain, and eventually wind up inside of the humans who consume them as seafood.
According to one study, Viet Nam, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines are four of the largest contributors of marine plastics. They are major importers, producers, and consumers of plastic, and possess limited waste management systems leading to the leakage of plastics into the environment.
EPPIC is embarking on a 2.5-year journey to identify and scale up the most promising new solutions in the ASEAN region to address this growing problem, with a particular focus on four of the top offenders: Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
During Phase 2 of EPPIC (2021-2022), the challenge is targeting two high-traffic sites to tackle plastic waste where small changes can make a big difference: Mandalika, Lombok Island in Indonesia and Samal in the Philippines.
Mandalika is located on the southern coast of Lombok Island, famous for a 7.2 km white beach. Mandalika is among the “10 New Bali Initiative” locations selected by the government aiming for boosting tourism development in particular locations in Indonesia.
About the location
Waste and plastic waste generation in Mandalika
Marine Plastic Litter
Estimated Sources of Marine Plastic Litter
The Island Garden City of Samal is a coastal city of Davao del Norte province, situated at the heart of Davao Gulf in the southern part of the Philippines.
Key Facts:
Plastic waste in Samal City
Sources of plastic pollution:
[1] Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority
[2] Based on Total Waste Generation Projections, ICAGOS Ecological Solid Waste Management Plan 2013-2023
Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Quang Ninh Province in the north of Viet Nam.
Key facts:
Plastic waste in Ha Long Bay (estimations):
Major sources of pollution:
Koh Samui is the largest island in an archipelago located off the north-eastern coast of Surat Thani Province in Thailand.
Key facts:
Plastic waste on Koh Samui (estimations):
Major sources of pollution:
Marine litter
Download the baseline studies for Ha Long Bay and Koh Samui here