NEWS
25 June 2026, Bangkok – The Marine Litter Prevention through Reduction, Sustainable Design and Recycling of Plastic Packaging (MA-RE-DESIGN) project celebrated the successful completion of collaborative efforts to prevent plastic leakage into the ocean through strengthened plastic waste management at the local, national and regional levels, with its closing event, ‘Creating the Plastic Future: Scaling Circular Economy with Collaborative Action’ at Pullman Bangkok King Power.
Each year, an estimated 11 million tonnes of plastic enter the world’s oceans , a figure projected to nearly triple by 2040. Meanwhile, Thailand generates more than 25 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, of which around 12% is plastic waste . To address this growing challenge, MA-RE-DESIGN brought together the expertise of GIZ, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the United Nations Environment Programme Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (UNEP-COBSEA), working in partnership with Thailand’s Pollution Control Department (PCD), the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE). The project was funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) and implemented from 2023 to 2026.
At the local level, MA-RE-DESIGN supported pilot implementations on Koh Tao, Surat Thani province and in Trang province, two coastal municipalities located near ecologically important marine biodiversity areas. Through WWF Thailand’s Plastic Smart Cities initiative, the project worked closely with local communities, tourism businesses and municipal authorities to develop circular waste management models. These included the introduction of a Deposit Return System (DRS), expansion of refill stations to reduce single-use plastic bottles, reverse logistics systems for low-value recyclable materials, and community waste banks. Today, Trash Treasure Tao Community Enterprise, established through the project, has become a leading force in waste management on the island, demonstrating how communities can successfully drive the circular economy.
At the national level, GIZ supported sustainable packaging design by working with SMEs, start-ups and academic institutions to apply Design for Recycling (D4R) principles and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in packaging innovation. Key achievements include updated D4R Guidelines, legal recommendations supporting Thailand’s draft Sustainable Packaging Management Act, international knowledge exchanges with experts from Germany, and technical support for three companies to redesign packaging for improved recyclability and more efficient material use. In addition, the annual Packaging Innovation Award encouraged young innovators and SMEs to recognise sustainable design as a competitive business advantage rather than a constraint.
The project also provided essential technical inputs to support Thailand’s preparedness for the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). These included EPR fee calculation guidelines, recommendations for establishing a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) tailored to the Thai context and legal recommendations aligned with international standards. Together, the resulting output provides an important foundation for the Pollution Control Department to develop the policies and regulatory framework required for future mandatory EPR implementation.
At the regional level, UNEP-COBSEA facilitated knowledge exchanges through the 5th and 6th SEA of Solutions Forums, connecting Thailand’s experiences with those of eight other countries across the East Asian Seas region. The exchanges covered key topics including eco-design good practices, community waste banks, refill systems and marine litter monitoring. The project also supported the establishment of the East Asian Seas Regional Node of the Global Partnership on Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter (GPML), providing a long-term platform for continued knowledge sharing beyond the project’s completion.
To celebrate these achievements, the project hosted its closing event, bringing together more than 150 representatives from government agencies, the private sector, international organisations, academia and civil society. Opening remarks were delivered by Ebba Scholl, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Thailand, and Chirapong Kuhakanchana, Deputy Director-General of the PCD. Special keynote addresses were delivered by Sumana Kajonwattanakul, Director of Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Institute of the DMCR, and Taweechai Jiaranaikhajorn, Director of Waste Minimisation Subdivision, PCD. The project summary was presented jointly by Alvaro Zurita, Project Director of MA-RE-DESIGN at GIZ, Eknarin Ariyavongvivat, Marine Conservation Lead and MA-RE-DESIGN Project Manager at WWF Thailand, and Mahesh Pradhan, COBSEA Coordinator. The event was moderated by Alexander Simon Rendell, UNEP National Goodwill Ambassador for Thailand, and Dr Punjaporn Weschayanwiwat, GIZ Thailand.
The event also featured flash talks entitled ‘From Now to Beyond’, highlighting perspectives from project beneficiaries across different areas of implementation. Speakers included Associate Professor Tatiya Trongsatitkul from Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima province on sustainable packaging design; Nophadol Siwabutr from the Thailand Institute of Packaging and Recycling Management for Sustainable Environment (TIPMSE) on Extended Producer Responsibility; Sarayut Thanasothorn, from Trash Treasure Tao Community Enterprise on circular economy implementation in pilot areas; Dr Ana Kumasaramy from UNEP-COBSEA on regional knowledge exchange; and Saravanee Singtong from the Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO) on Thailand’s circular economy policy development.
Currently, countries across the world are negotiating a legally binding international instrument to end plastic pollution through the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) process. At the same time, the European Union is introducing new regulatory frameworks, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR) and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), both of which have direct implications for Thai manufacturers and exporters. The achievements of MA-RE-DESIGN over the past four years provide an important foundation for strengthening Thailand’s plastic management system and supporting the country’s contribution to global efforts to tackle plastic pollution.
Learn more about the MA-RE-DESIGN project here: https://www.thai-german-cooperation.info/marine-litter-prevention-through-reduction-sustainable-design-and-recycling-of-plastic-packaging-ma-re-design/
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