Plastic pollution in the ASEAN region is a significant environmental challenge, with over 31 million tonnes of plastic waste generated annually across six ASEAN Member States. This mismanaged waste contributes to marine debris, with plastic accounting for approximately 80% of all marine debris in the oceans [1].

 

Plastic pollution in ASEAN represents a pressing challenge that aligns directly with the 2025 World Environment Day theme: “Ending Plastic Pollution.” World Environment Day serves as a critical reminder for regional stakeholders to intensify efforts. World Environment Day offers an opportunity for ASEAN to reaffirm its commitment and showcase progress toward a cleaner, more sustainable future—one where plastic pollution no longer threatens ecosystems, economies, and communities.

 

To address the growing challenge of marine debris, ASEAN Member States developed the ASEAN Framework of Action on Marine Debris, adopted through the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in the ASEAN Region, signed on 22 June 2019. Building on this, the ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris (2021–2025) was launched on 28 May 2021. This plan outlines 14 priority actions to combat marine plastic debris, focusing on reducing plastic consumption, enhancing recycling efforts, and minimising waste leakage.

Empowering community members to manage plastic waste for better future, a core community action in 3Rpromar Project.
Photo credit: GIZ

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle to Protect the Marine Environment and Coral Reefs (3RproMar), a German-ASEAN cooperation project, stands as a concrete example of how the ASEAN Member States and the ASEAN Secretariat worked closely together to combat marine debris, particularly plastic pollution. The project aimed to prevent marine plastic pollution and promote a circular economy by fostering regional cooperation and knowledge sharing among ASEAN working groups, supporting the development and localisation of national waste leakage reduction measures, encouraging private sector engagement, and implementing pilot projects along the value chain—from sustainable consumption to improved waste collection and recycling.  

Launched in 2020, the project recently wrapped up its five-year journey in advancing marine litter prevention in ASEAN and shared its milestone achievements at the 4th 3RproMar Regional Workshop on 6 May 2025.

 

In the workshop, representing H.E. San Lwin, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), Dr. Vong Sok, Assistant Director and Head of the Environment Division at the ASEAN Secretariat, highlighted the impact of the 3RproMar project, stating that “3RproMar has played a critical role in working with ASEAN Member States, turning the regional aspiration into concrete action from strengthening policy framework, pilot innovative solution, in hand capacity and fostering meaningful multi stakeholder collaboration across the region.”

 

H.E. Ina Lepel, German Ambassador to Indonesia, ASEAN & Timor-Leste, remarked in her opening address, “3RproMar project stands out as a strong example of what we can achieve through meaningful collaboration. It reflects our joint priorities under the ASEAN-German practical cooperation areas, particularly in advancing the circular economy, strengthening waste management systems and protecting marine ecosystems.”

 

Over the past five years, 3RproMar has celebrated many milestones and achievements. Starting amidst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the project produced 20 knowledge products and 53 policy briefs; conducted 115 trainings at local, national, and regional levels; engaged over 4,700 participants — with more than half being women; organised 5 regional webinars and 4 regional workshops; and collaborated with 6 pilot municipalities and 68 sub-districts across four ASEAN Member States: Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam.In support of this year’s World Environment Day, 3RproMar demonstrated tangible progress in preventing plastic waste leakage into the ocean through various initiatives.

 

Additionally, in collaboration with ERIA, AIT, and NIVA, 3RproMar successfully established a knowledge hub platform, conducted baseline studies, designed a behavioural change toolbox, and developed key recommendations and policy briefs. Additionally, 3RproMar has collaborated with other ASEAN partners to co-organise regional conferences that foster knowledge exchange and cross-sectoral dialogue.

 

The 3RproMar project, implemented in four ASEAN Member States, focused on three main pillars of policy & institutional support, capacity building, and multi-stakeholder engagement through national dialogue, pilot projects, trainings, workshops and focus group discussions (FGDs).

 

In Cambodia, 3RproMar initiated the first Cambodia Circular Economy Forum in 2024, supported the Ministry of Environment’s “Today I Do Not Use Plastic Bags” campaign, and successfully increased recycling 2.6 tons of waste while diverting 0.57 tons of organic waste from landfill per day in Kratie.

 

Aligning with the success in Cambodia, in Manado, Indonesia, the project distributed 14,401 tumblers to school students—reducing 389 kg of plastic bottle waste daily. It also supported the formalisation of an informal waste workers’ cooperative at the Sumompo landfill, and collected and processed 110 tons of plastic waste, preventing 21 tons from leaking into the environment.

 

Ratna Taasuwi, Waste Picker and Chair of the Sumompo Sejahtera Waste Picker Cooperative, highlighted the transformative impact of participating in the cooperative with support from the 3RproMar project:

 

Ratna Taasuwi.
Photo Credit: GIZ

“Through the Cooperative, that 3RproMar supported, all the members and I have learned a lot about how to work together for our common good and we have received recognition being in an official organisation. Starting in January 2025, we started selling recyclable plastic materials together and directly to wholesalers, no longer individually. What is encouraging is that members have started saving through Cooperatives which was never possible before. Through this cooperative organisation, other members and I changed our way of thinking from personal interests to common interests.”

 

While the project has empowered members of Sumompo Sejahtera Waste Picker Cooperative in reducing plastic waste and enhancing their livelihood by selling recyclable plastic materials, the project has also induced significant impact in the Philippines. The project collected 57 tons of plastic waste across four cities, engaging 30 households and over 100 community members. These efforts resulted in more than 63 tons of plastic being diverted from potential marine leakage.

 

Ms. Leah Joy T. Gabayeron explained how the Sa Plastik Anay ‘Ta campaign in the Philippines has been continuing to encourage the community to adopt more sustainable waste management practices:

Leah Joy T. Gabayeron.
Photo Credit: GIZ

“The Sa Plastik Anay ‘Ta campaign encourages our community to rethink their waste habits. It’s not just about collection, but about changing behaviours for the better. Through training and capacity-building, we empower LGUs, SWM workers, and residents to adopt sustainable waste management practices for the long term.”

In Viet Nam, environmental awareness events attracted around 3,000 participants. The project launched 100 “Green House” models, distributed 4,500 mesh bags for recyclable storage, and installed 838 waste-segregation bins. Additionally, a 700-meter bamboo waste trap was also installed in Vinh Chau Town, successfully trapping about 3 tons of plastic.

 

The awareness events have also engaged, among others, students and teachers from various schools, one of which is the Trand De B Primary School. Ms. Hoang Giang, a teacher in Tran De B Primary School, Tran De district, Soc Trang Province noted how the events trigger students to adopt new practices related to waste management:

Ms. Hoang Giang.
Photo credit: GIZ

“Educating students about environmental protection goes beyond the classroom. By participating in school initiatives and leading clean-up campaigns, we inspire children to take pride in their surroundings and understand that every small action contributes to a cleaner, greener future.”

 

While these achievements may seem like small drops in the vast ocean of environmental efforts, they represent meaningful and measurable progress—clear evidence of ASEAN’s united commitment to tackling plastic pollution. But this is far from the final chapter in the region’s fight against marine litter. Looking ahead, Phase II of the 3RproMar project is set to build on this momentum. Collaboration among key stakeholders in ASEAN Member States will continue to deepen, with renewed focus on integrated waste management and advancing a circular economy. The goal remains clear: to prevent marine litter at its source and drive lasting, sustainable change across the region.

 

Piyush Dhawan, Principal Advisor of 3RproMar project closed the event with a heartwarming note. “With the theme ‘Sustaining Impact,’ this Workshop is a reminder that impact is not just measured in outputs delivered or activities completed, but also in knowledge gained, systems put in place, and momentum sustained. Let this not be the end of a project, but the beginning of a longer, stronger movement toward a waste-free, resilient, and healthy ASEAN region.”