CAP SEA launches new publications to drive green plastic transformation in Southeast Asia
To build up technical and institutional know-how and facilitate the introduction and use of upstream solutions to reduce single-use plastics, the Collaborative Actions for Single-Use Plastic Prevention in South-East Asia (CAP SEA) project is launching three publications: “Design-for-recycling (D4R) – State of play”; “Recycled content in plastic material with focus on PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP”; and “Considerations for packaging classification”. Further, the publications also have the aim to facilitate the introduction and use of upstream solutions to reduce single-use plastics. The launch comes at a time when plastic recycling has not kept pace with rising demand for plastic production, contributing significantly to the pollution of water and seas and greenhouse gas emissions.
In this paper, a few aspects for an appropriate packaging classification are described with the aim to support the national implementing partners of the CAP SEA project in defining the scope and entry points for interventions targeting packaging waste prevention, with an emphasis on plastic packaging.
1) Design-for-recycling (D4R) – State of play
- To address waste prevention and waste management, upstream and downstream measures are used respectively. Applying the preferable options of the waste hierarchy at the early phases of the material life cycle e.g., design, manufacture, is what so-called upstream measures seek to achieve. The concept of design for recycling (D4R) is one of a full bouquet of upstream measures and the scope of this pre-study.
- This publication helps gain an understanding of recyclability and the concept of D4R, read the full publication here.
2) Recycled content in plastic material with focus on PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP
- The transition towards circular economy includes the optimisation of manufacturing processes in terms of decrease of primary resource consumption shares but increase of secondary raw material shares. Introducing voluntary or mandatory targets for recycled content in specific plastic products for local (plastic) manufacturing industries and procurement policies is a first step towards an implementation. Thereby, the market for recycled raw materials and subsequently collection and recycling of plastic waste will be stimulated.
- For an overview of recycling, technical state of the art with respect to recycled plastic content in products, limiting factors, options for action to boost secondary plastic use in the production process and key implementation aspects, read the report here.
3) Considerations for packaging classification
- Packaging has important functions, ranging from product transport and storage to consumer information. At the same time, packaging waste has become a global environmental problem. A classification of packaging helps in understanding the demand, the problem and possible solutions.
- The findings propose to analyse (1) the function, (2) the supply chain, (3) the material and (4) the possibilities for reuse. Read more here.
About CAP SEA Project
The Collaborative Action for Single-Use Plastic Prevention in Southeast Asia (CAP SEA) project is part of the GIZ global project, “Export Initiative for Green Technologies”, funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). CAP SEA supports reducing plastic waste and promoting reusable packaging systems in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia and the project runs from August 2019 – March 2023. For more information on CAP SEA project activities, please download the factsheet here.
Christoffer Brick
Project Leader
Email:christoffer.brick(at)giz.de