This paper presents a study that was conducted in six AMS and based on an initial assessment of their SWM systems, these were grouped into two sets of three countries. Three countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, and the Philippines) have a nascent solid waste ecosystem that is characterized by some dedicated waste policies and regulations, which are poorly enforced, with no support and incentives for plastic circularity; limited or no waste segregation at source; poor collection systems with a low collection ratio; a strong autonomous informal sector that prioritizes the collection, sorting, and recycling of high-value plastic; and significant gaps in the infrastructure for waste recovery and recycling. A second group of three countries (Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam) have an emerging solid waste ecosystem, with a SWM regulatory framework; incentives for plastics’ reuse; SUPs’ restriction, collection systems, and recycling facilities in place in major urban centers; and consumers are educated to segregate their waste at its source. In addition, Indonesia and the Philippines are island nations that have unique SWM challenges. This paper acknowledges that although there are gaps in plastic and SWM in the six AMS, these shortcomings in infrastructure and services should not deter them from supporting plastic waste innovations, which can enhance plastic and SWM. This paper is intended to enable ASEAN countries to take stock of the current innovations that are supporting plastic circularity and the steps needed to encourage additional capital investment by improving policies and building innovators’ capacity. Thus, this paper should assist stakeholders in tackling plastic pollution and improving plastic circularity by focusing on innovations in plastic circularity and supporting entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Authors
- Citation
- “ World Bank . 2024 . Scaling Innovations for Plastic Circularity with Investment in ASEAN . © Washington, DC: World Bank . http://hdl.handle.net/10986/41787 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO . ”
- Collection(s)
- Other Environmental Study
- Identifier externaldocumentum
- 34343395
- Identifier internaldocumentum
- 34343395
- Published in
- United States of America
- Region country
- Korea, Republic of
- Report
- 191433
- Rights
- CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO
- Rights Holder
- World Bank
- Rights URI
- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/igo
- UNIT
- EAP ENR PM 2 (SEAE2)
- URI
- https://hdl.handle.net/10986/41787
- date disclosure
- 2024-06-27
- region administrative
- East Asia and Pacific
- theme
- Urban Development,Mitigation,Environmental Health and Pollution Management,Environment and Natural Resource Management,Private Sector Development,Innovation and Technology Policy,Climate change,Urban and Rural Development,Business Enabling Environment,Adaptation
Files
Table of Contents
- _heading=h.30j0zll 9
- _heading=h.w9sz32eju6bv 41
- _heading=h.1egqt2p 68
- _Hlk156641352 73
- _Hlk156641302 73
- _Hlk156173647 83
- _Hlk156173630 83
- Executive Summary 9
- Acknowledgements 8
- Chapter 1. 19
- Introduction 19
- 1.1. Background and Objectives 19
- 1.2. Plastic Pollution in the ASEAN Region 21
- 1.3. Innovation and Plastic Waste Management 22
- 1.4. Methodology 23
- 1.4.1 Limitations of the Methodology 24
- 1.5. Stakeholder Consultations 25
- Chapter 2. 27
- Overview of the Waste Management Ecosystem and the Key Plastic Waste Types in the Six AMS 27
- 2.1. Evaluation Parameters for Waste Management, Recycling, and Plastic Circularity in the Six AMS 27
- 2.2. The Country-specific Status of SWM, Recycling, and Plastic Circularity in the Six AMS 28
- 2.3. Hurdles to Overcome to Achieve Innovations’ Growth and Scale 34
- 2.3.1. Lack of Policy and Financial Incentives 35
- 2.3.2. Lack of Organizational Capacity 36
- 2.3.3. Limited Access to Capital 36
- 2.4. Innovation Support to Address the Gaps 37
- Chapter 3. 41
- The Innovation Landscape for Plastic Circularity 41
- 3.1. Introduction to Innovations in Plastic Circularity in the ASEAN Region 41
- 3.2. Identifying and Assessing the Innovation Ecosystem 43
- 3.3. Innovations in ASEAN and other select Areas 45
- 3.3.1. Upstream Stage 45
- 3.3.2. Midstream Stage 46
- 3.3.3. Downstream Stage 47
- 3.3.4. Cross-cutting Stage 48
- 3.4. Evaluating and Selecting Innovations for Investment 49
- Chapter 4. 53
- Policy Options to Stimulate Innovations to Advance Plastic Circularity 53
- 4.1. Overview of the Role of Policies in Driving Innovation and Investment 53
- 4.2. Policy Instruments for Triggering Plastic Innovation 57
- 4.3. International Policy Triggers for Plastic Innovation 62
- Chapter 5. 67
- Investment Needs and Opportunities in Innovations for Plastic Circularity in the Six AMS 67
- 5.1 Development Profile of Innovations in the Plastic Circularity Ecosystem in the Six AMS 68
- 5.2 Overview of Investments in Innovations in Waste Management, Recycling, and Plastic Circularity in the Six AMS (2018–2022) 70
- Chapter 6. 73
- Creating the Enabling Environment and Markets to Improve Investments in Plastic Circularity Innovations 73
- 6.1 Scaling Innovations by Stage 75
- 6.1.1. Value Chain Stage 75
- 6.1.2. SWM Ecosystem Type 76
- 6.2 Supportive Policies and Financial Incentives for Plastic Circularity Innovations 80
- 6.2.1. Policy Gaps and Coordination to Address Institutional Failures 80
- 6.2.2. Financial Incentives to Address Market Failures 82
- 6.2.3. Creating Market Demand 84
- 6.3 Direct Support to Plastic Circularity Innovators 86
- 6.3.1. Building Organizational Capacity 86
- 6.3.2. Access to Financing 89
- 6.4 Regional Cooperation 91
- 6.5 Conclusion 92
- Appendices 93
- List of Abbreviations 93
- Appendix 1. Country Profiles for the Six AMS 96
- Appendix 2. Top 10 plastic circularity transaction by deal value in the Six AMS (2018-9M 2022) 98
- Appendix 3. Stakeholder Consultations 99
- Appendix 4. Key Types and Sources of Capital in the ASEAN Region 103
- Appendix 5. Selected Financing Criteria for Plastic Circularity Investments 107
- Appendix 6. Selected Venture Debt Providers and Their Products 108
- Appendix 7. Perceived Barriers and Supportive Policies to Drive the Development of Plastic Circularity in the Six AMS 109
- Appendix 8. Summary of Selected SWM and SUP Policies 111
- Bibliography 112
- Figure ES.1. Plastic Waste Management Innovation Landscape in the ASEAN Region 13
- Figure 1. Losses of Recyclable Material Value in Four ASEAN Member States 20
- Figure 2. Types of Plastic Pollution in the ASEAN Region 21
- Figure 3. Solid Waste Management Framework to Support Innovation 22
- Figure 4. Elements of Plastic Circularity (Plastic Waste Management within Solid Waste Management) 28
- Figure 5. Key Elements of Plastic Circularity 29
- Figure 6. Categorization of Innovations in the Plastic Value Chain 42
- Figure 7. Plastic Waste Management Innovation Landscape in the ASEAN Region 51
- Table ES.1. Transitioning SWM from a Nascent to an Emerging Ecosystem in the six AMS 14
- Table ES.2. Prioritization of innovation across the plastic value chain in the six AMS 15
- Table 1. Nascent Ecosystem: Cambodia, Indonesia, and the Philippines 30
- Table 2. Emerging Ecosystem: Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam 32
- Table 3. Gaps in Solid Waste Management and their Impacts on Plastic Waste Management 38
- Table 4. Thematic Innovations to Address Gaps to Improve Plastic Waste Management 39
- Table 5. Readiness of Innovations by Stage 51
- Table 6. Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme 58
- Table 7. Potential Sources of Capital for Early-stage Companies 69
- Table 8. Investments in Plastic Waste Management, Recycling, and Circularity in the Six AMS, by Stage (January 2018–September 2022) 71
- Table 9. Number and Value of Plastic Circularity Investments in the Six AMS, by Country (January 2018–September 2022) 71
- Table 10. A Selection of Innovative Plastic Circularity Finance Offerings in Emerging Markets (2020–2022) 72
- Table 11. Prioritization of Innovation Across the Plastic Value Chain in the Six AMS 78
- Table 12. Prioritization of Innovations Based on a Country’s Stage in the Plastic Value Chain and its Typology 79
- Table 13. Transitioning SWM Innovations from a Nascent to an Emerging Ecosystem in the Six AMS 82
- Table 14. Potential Types and Sources of Capital for Innovations Across the Plastic Value Chain 90
- Table 15. Recommendations and Prioritization for Limited Access to Capital 90
- Box 1. Stakeholder Consultations during the 7th International Marine Debris Conference (7IMDC) 25
- Box 2. An Alternative Material Innovation Case – Ecovative 45
- Box 3. Redesign Innovation Case – Beverage Industry Players (Lotte, Coca Cola & Evian) 46
- Box 4. Refill/Reuse Innovation Case – Loop 47
- Box 5. Recycling Innovation Case – Prevented Ocean Plastic (POP) South Asia 48
- Box 6. Operational Platform Innovation Case – Rubicon 49
- Box 7. Using Platforms to Improve Collection Efficiencies 50
- Box 8. IFC Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability 55
- Box 9. Case study: The Role of Government in Thailand’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem 61
- Box 10. Island Solutions 77