Plastic Pollution in Asia Set to Rise 70 Percent If Ignored

(MENAFN) Plastic waste leaking into the environment across Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and South Korea is on track to surge by nearly 70% unless urgent and effective interventions are implemented, according to a new report released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

"Driven by rising incomes and living standards, plastics use in the region is projected to almost double in the absence of more ambitious policies," the Regional Plastics Outlook report warned, citing 2022 as the baseline for projections.

The situation is particularly acute in ASEAN member states, where plastic consumption is forecast to nearly triple without policy reform, the report stated. Most of the projected leakage is expected to stem from lower-middle-income countries in ASEAN and China.

Calling the region a "hotspot for plastic pollution," the OECD reported that 8.4 million tons of mismanaged plastic waste entered the environment in 2022 alone. That figure could balloon to 14.1 million tons by 2050, with 5.1 million tons potentially contaminating rivers, coastlines, and oceans.

Regional plastic waste generation jumped dramatically from 10 million tons in 1990 to 113 million tons in 2022, while plastic consumption across 13 Asian countries rose almost ninefold—from 17 million tons to 152 million tons over the same period.

The report also highlighted ongoing systemic challenges: "Informal and unsafe practices, such as open burning and dumping, persist in most ASEAN countries and China, especially in rural areas," it said.

A major driver of the waste surge is the short lifespan of plastic products. More than half of the plastic consumed in the region becomes waste within five years, adding to the environmental strain.

However, the OECD noted that decisive measures could significantly alter the region’s trajectory. Policies such as bans on single-use plastics and taxation schemes could cut plastic use by 28%, lift the recycling rate to 54%, and slash mismanaged waste by 97%.

In parallel, negotiations resumed this week in Geneva to draft a global, legally binding treaty on plastic pollution. Talks had stalled last year in South Korea, amid disagreements over curbing plastic production and harmonizing waste management strategies.

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