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Chemicals and Waste
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This ASEAN policy brief assessed how manufacturing growth and plastic consumption are increasing environmental contamination by plastics and microplastics across member states, which lack standardized monitoring procedures and adequate waste management infrastructure. The document called for increased R&D spending, evidence-based regulatory frameworks, and regional cooperation on chemicals and waste management as integral parts of circular economy transitions.
• As ASEAN increasingly transitions away from its agrarian traditions and becomes a core partof the global supply chain, improved environmental management of chemicals and waste isimperative.• Manufacturing is now a major contributor to AMS' gross domestic product (GDP) and exportsbut too many outdated factories in some developing ASEAN countries nations produce oruse hazardous chemicals that harm local communities. The chemical industry needs a newparadigm to contribute to environmentally sustainable development.• Outdated, unsustainable smokestack industries and end-of-pipe pollution controls need to bereplaced with cleaner, more efficient production technology.• Agricultural chemicals, such as pesticides and herbicides, are also dangerous to theenvironment, farm workers and consumers of the region’s fruits and vegetables.• The ASEAN region spends too little on research and development (RD) and therefore is notprepared to manage the risks of the wide range of new chemicals that are being released to theenvironment.• Plastic waste generation keeps increasing with industrialization and the increasing adoptionof high material consumption lifestyles. There are growing concerns in AMS on marine plasticlitter and microplastic related pollution and their impacts. However, evidence-based responsesrequire standardized monitoring procedures and capacity building.• The ASEAN Joint Declaration on Hazardous Chemicals and Waste Management (2017) needsto be supported by increased funding, RD, and international support.• Gradually, the key tools of environmental management of chemicals and waste are beingimplemented in AMS, but much greater efforts are needed regarding source and ambientmonitoring, public awareness, compliance, and enforcement.• Chemicals and waste management is a cross-cutting issue relevant to circular economy,extended producer responsibility (EPR), cities, climate change, biodiversity, water, andenvironmental education, so it needs to be considered in a holistic and integrated manner.• Stronger capacities (financial, institutional, technical resources) are needed for politicalprioritization and awareness building, setting policies, regulations, strategies, and action plansto achieve sustainable waste and chemicals management as well as control of transboundarypollution.• Much greater efforts are needed to implement existing policies and regulations, on chemicalsand waste, including compliance and enforcement as well as source and ambient monitoring,and promoting public awareness• Regional cooperation should be expanded, and regional action plans should be developed onchemicals and waste, including plastic, using a lifecycle approach.• Measures to strengthen environmentally sound management of chemicals and waste can beimportant sources of green jobs in government and the private sector.• Implementation of SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production would especiallyimprove the management of chemicals and waste.
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