Rethinking Plastic & Waste to drive the Circular Economy in Asia

Our perspectives on rethinking waste into new supply chains for the circular economy.

Over 8 million tonnes of plastic goes into our oceans every year. 80% is from Asia, and 60% from just 5 countries - China, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. By 2050, it's expected there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish! Additionally, there's mass landfills throughout the world with this 'waste' which are polluting waterways and causing sickness and deaths in many other ways. Less than 15% of plastics are actually recycled - and that's 40 years since the first recycling icon came in!

There's about $2.8 trillion of consumer goods products going into landfill every year! That simply isn't good business! This video shares how we need to think about 'waste' differently and see it instead as valuable resources and create systems to channel the resources back to companies. 3 key themes:
1. Waste pickers can be the supply chains of companies - through empowering organising waste pickers and incorporating data
2. Waste is sexy. The Waste Management sector is ripe for disruption. Innovation is happening. MBA's and doctors are creating businesses in the waste sector!
3. Extended Producer Responsibility legislation has been implemented in India and will be brought into other countries in Asia such as Indonesia in the next 5 years. EPR requires companies to collect back their post consumer waste - i.e. the waste after consumers use their products. If companies don't, they risk losing license to operate, high tasks and loss of trust. First mover advantage obviously offers many benefits.

Our Recommendation to companies: get on the ground, understand the stakeholders and join the dots to create a circular economy for your packaging - it's just good business sense!

Credits:

[falcon]

We need better automation in recycling.