Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution is a growing global challenge that demands urgent, comprehensive, and collective action. In response, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Environment (MOE) developed the National Action Plan on Plastic Waste Management, 2021–2030 (NAPPWM), grounded in the principles of the circular economy and the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Achieving the...

Environmental Education (EE) is crucial for raising awareness about environmental protection and improving the quality of life for present and future generations (Ilovan et al., 2019; Premakumara et al., 2016). This is particularly important in addressing global issues like plastic pollution. As of 2015, approximately 6300 metric tons of plastic...

Mahidol University and UNEP co-organized an expert review meeting of their on-going publication project on " Assessment Report on Plastic Pollution Management in Asia and the Pacific."". Hotta facilitated a session 1 on policy approaches to plastic pollution with providing a guiding questions and major discussion points for the report.

The launch of the report "Science-Policy Interface for Plastic Pollution" by GRID-Arendal was organized within the framework of the Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues, in the lead-up to the third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the...

Many second Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-2) delegates indicated that the scope of the treaty should include plastic alternatives and substitutes. However, there are no internationally agreed definitions of plastic alternatives nor plastic substitutes. Sound definitions will support fully informed treaty...

At the Seminar 6 on " Regional knowledge sharing and identification of opportunities for enhanced reduction of Marine Plastics Debris" held during the ASEAN-Japan Environment Week during August 22-24, 2023, Hotta made a keynote presentation to provide discussion points for the following panel discussions. This seminar was orgnaized with the...

Reducing the use and promoting the environmentally sound management of single-use plastics in the tourism sector offers a great opportunity to tackle plastic pollution at the source. Similarly, addressing problematic plastics throughout tourism value chains can also drive a shift towards innovative and circular business models. In this context...

The progress report on Japan ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) Project "Strengthening Capacity for Marine Debris Reduction in ASEAN Region: Formulation of National Action Plans for ASEAN Member States and Integrated Land-to-Sea Policy Approach (Phase2 - Dec. 2021-Dec. 2023)" were made to the Members of ASEAN Working Group on Coastal and Marine...

A global agreement to end plastic pollution must be based on pertinent, multi-disciplinary knowledge. Considering the entire life cycle impacts of plastics and substitutes is essential to achieve sustainable solutions rather than shifting the burden. Hence, this process requires considerations of fossil-based and biobased feedstocks for plastic...

Plastic pollution represents one of the most pressing environmental issues facing the planet today. This is largely due to the increasing mass production of single-use plastics (SUPs) including packaging materials and other items that are quickly outpacing the world’s ability to respond. Social, cultural and economic shift in addition to the...