NEWS

The Asian Institute of Technology Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific (AIT RRC.AP), with support from the ERIA Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (RKC-MPD) and in coordination with the ASEAN Secretariat, successfully held the Capacity Building Workshop on Preventing Recycling-Related Plastic Leakage under the CaRMPAC Programme in Khon Kaen, Thailand. The workshop forms part of a broader regional effort to address marine plastic pollution by equipping local governments, recyclers, and industry actors with practical tools to minimise plastic and pellet leakage from both formal and informal recycling systems.

Turning Local Challenges into Practical Solutions

Opening remarks were delivered by Hon. Ms. Nutchareewan Dondeeloet, Vice Mayor of Khon Kaen City Municipality; Dr. Guilberto Borongan, Director of AIT RRC.AP; and Mr. Reo Kawamura, Director of ERIA RKC-MPD. Speakers emphasised that marine plastic pollution has evolved into a systemic environmental, economic, and public health challenge that requires coordinated, facility-level action rather than policy commitments alone. Technical sessions grounded the discussions in Khon Kaen’s waste realities. The city generates roughly 210 tonnes of solid waste daily, with low levels of source segregation and persistent operational constraints. Provincial authorities highlighted Thailand’s transition toward a circular economy, including early development of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), while noting that low-value plastics continue to pose significant leakage risks.

Strengthening Technical Capacity to Reduce Leakage

Participants explored the full recycling value chain to understand how plastics escape the system, from collection and sorting to washing, shredding, and transport. A key distinction was introduced between plastic loss, which is still recoverable within the system, and leakage, which escapes into the environment and becomes irretrievable. This understanding framed leakage as both an environmental burden and an economic loss for recyclers, especially small-scale operators.

A central technical component of the workshop was the APPCR framework (Anticipate–Prevent–Contain–Correct–Recycle), which provided a structured method for diagnosing and managing leakage risks within recycling operations. Through guided exercises, participants identified facility-level leakage points and discussed low-cost operational improvements such as improved storage, covered work areas, drainage maintenance, and simple water recirculation systems, reinforcing that effective leakage prevention does not always require capital-intensive solutions.?

Governance, Behaviour, and System Alignment

Participants also examined the regulatory and behavioural dimensions of leakage prevention. Discussions highlighted the need for realistic minimum standards for housekeeping, containment, and wastewater management, as well as supportive compliance pathways for SMEs and informal recyclers. Behavioural insights underscored that convenience, social norms, and community values often shape waste practices more strongly than information alone. The workshop emphasised that technological measures must be embedded within aligned institutional, economic, and social systems.

The workshop concluded in a series of role-play and solution-mapping exercises that placed participants in the roles of policymakers, industry actors, and consumers. Policymakers and academics emphasised the importance of coherent standards, certification systems, and incentive-based policy instruments. Industry and MSME representatives highlighted constraints related to financing, space, and technical capacity, proposing approaches such as eco-industrial clustering and modular, on-site technical training. Consumer-focused discussions stressed the need for clear eco-labelling, transparent information, and behavioural incentives to influence purchasing and disposal practices. Across all groups, a strong consensus emerged that only coordinated, multi-actor action—combining effective governance, practical industry solutions, and behavioural change—can realistically prevent plastic leakage.

Courtesy reception by the City Vice Mayor, Waste to Energy Facility and Transfer Station, and Plastic Recycling Facility. The Vice Mayor of the City welcomed the RRCAP, ERIA RKC MPD and Khon Kaen University to the City Administration Office and briefed the team on the status of Plastic Waste management of Khon Kaen City, initiatives and challenges. A visit was made to the ACE Waste Energy Facility, Transfer Station, mechanical plastic recovery facility.

Post-training feedback indicated strong participant satisfaction, with many noting the immediate applicability of the tools and approaches introduced during the workshop. Participants recommended further support through practical checklists, case studies, and modular training tailored to small recyclers and informal facilities.

The Khon Kaen workshop marks another significant step in the CaRMPAC Programme’s mission to translate regional commitments on marine debris into actionable, facility-level improvements. By bringing together municipal authorities, recyclers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders, the event strengthened local capacity to reduce plastic leakage and advance the circular economy transition across ASEAN.