New research shows recycling all mismanaged plastic waste in the six markets across South and Southeast Asia could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 229 million tonnes by 2030.
The research by The Circulate Initiative, a non-profit organisation which aims to reduce ocean plastic pollution in emerging markets, highlights the link between plastic waste management and climate change.
Among the research’s key findings was that diverting one tonne of plastic waste from open burning in any of the six markets towards proper collection and recycling could avoid generating over three tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
It also found that incineration and waste-to-energy approaches to plastic waste management in the studied markets can lead to 20 million tonnes of emissions in 2030, which The Circulate Initiative says can be avoided through plastic waste recovery and recycling solutions.
Investing in effective plastic waste management and recycling can shift the dial to tackle plastic pollution and climate change simultaneously.
Finally, the research found that meeting the 2030 national recycling targets of the six markets can lead to a 10% reduction in global GHG emissions from plastics end-of-life.
The “The Climate Benefits of Plastic Waste Management in India and Southeast Asia” report highlights the potential of investing in effective plastic waste management and recycling across India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and prevent climate change.
The report draws on data from the latest edition of The Circulate Initiative’s Plastic Lifecycle Assessment Calculator for the Environment and Society (PLACES), an open-access climate impact calculator that tracks the GHG emissions, and energy and water consumption of plastic waste management and recycling solutions across South and Southeast Asia.
The Circulate Initiative’s Research Director, Umesh Madhavan, commented: “Ongoing negotiations for the international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution are putting the spotlight on the importance of circular economy solutions.
“Our research demonstrates that investing in effective plastic waste management and recycling can shift the dial to tackle plastic pollution and climate change simultaneously.
“With the addition of new markets, PLACES will support a broader scope of investors, local governments and corporations in the region to assess opportunities in the plastics circular economy based on their environmental impact.”