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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Transboundary Trade in Plastic Waste and Environmental Concerns: A Case Study from Thailand
ClearThe effects on Thailand of China’s import restrictions on waste: measures and challenges related to the international recycling of waste plastic and e-waste
Researchers documented how Thailand — already possessing import permit systems — was overwhelmed by a surge in plastic waste and e-waste smuggling following China's 2017 import ban, ultimately imposing its own import prohibition, reflecting broader enforcement challenges across Southeast Asia.
Will you take my (s)crap? Waste havens in the global plastic waste trade
This economic study analyzed global plastic waste trade flows following China's 2018 import ban, finding that plastic waste shifted to new destination countries in Southeast Asia and elsewhere. The global movement of plastic waste affects where it is processed and how much ends up in environments as microplastics.
Circular Economy and the Changing Geography of International Trade in Plastic Waste
This study analyzed over two decades of international trade data in plastic waste, finding increasingly complex transboundary flows as circular economy policies tightened, with China's 2018 import ban dramatically reshaping global plastic waste trade routes and highlighting ongoing challenges in achieving sustainable plastic material cycles.
Global Plastic Waste Trade: An Analysis of Sources and Trends (1996-2024)
The global trade in plastic waste — where wealthy nations ship plastic scraps to poorer ones for processing — has shaped recycling systems worldwide, but its sustainability is deeply contested. This bibliometric review of 257 academic papers (1996–2024) maps the research landscape, finding that China's 2018 ban on importing foreign plastic waste was a dominant topic, and that the trade raises serious concerns about environmental harm and economic inequality in recipient countries. The study underscores that international plastic waste flows are not a straightforward solution to the plastic crisis and require much closer scrutiny.
The Evolutionary Trend and Impact of Global Plastic Waste Trade Network
Analysis of the global plastic waste trade network from 1988 to 2017 found that recent national import bans have reshaped trade flows, with waste being redirected from China to other developing nations rather than reducing overall plastic waste generation.
Traded Plastic, Traded Impacts? Designing Counterfactual Scenarios to Assess Environmental Impacts of Global Plastic Waste Trade
This study used life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental impact of global plastic waste trade in 2022 across 18 countries. The research found that trading plastic waste internationally resulted in lower overall environmental impacts compared to countries processing all their waste domestically, partly because importing countries have higher recycling rates. However, the benefits depend heavily on actual recycling rates, and the trade can shift pollution burdens to lower-income countries.
Political Economy of Import Waste Regulations in East Java: Implications of Indonesia's Role as Waste Importer Country
This political economy study examines how Indonesia has become a major importer of plastic waste following China's 2018 ban on waste imports (the 'National Sword' policy). The resulting surge in plastic waste imports into countries like Indonesia raises concerns about inadequate processing and increased plastic pollution in these receiving countries.
The geopolitical economy of Thailand's marine plastic pollution crisis
Researchers examined the geopolitical and economic factors driving Thailand's status as one of the world's largest contributors to ocean plastic pollution, finding that governance failures, economic development pressures, and global plastic supply chains are key structural drivers that environmental management has not adequately addressed.
Towards a Just Circular Economy Transition: the Case of European Plastic Waste Trade to Vietnam for Recycling
Researchers examined how half of Europe's collected plastic waste is shipped to countries like Vietnam for recycling without adequate oversight, arguing that this practice shifts environmental and health burdens to lower-income nations and calling for a justice-focused global framework to govern plastic waste trade.
The impact of China’s import ban: An economic surplus analysis of markets for recyclable plastics
Researchers used economic surplus analysis to quantify the market impact of China's 2017 ban on plastic waste imports, finding that economic surpluses in Japan and China dropped by up to 58 billion yen and 1,304 billion yen respectively, reshaping global recyclable plastics trade.
Issues of Microplastics Pollution in Tap and Drinking Water Sources in Thailand and Health Impacts
This review examines microplastic contamination in tap and drinking water sources in Thailand, linking the problem to poor solid waste management that allows single-use plastics to enter aquatic systems. Thailand is among the top 10 countries for mismanaged plastic waste, with an estimated 60,000 tons per year entering the ocean.
The plastic waste problem in Malaysia: management, recycling and disposal of local and global plastic waste
This review examines Malaysia's plastic waste crisis, including its status as the world's largest importer of plastic waste since 2017. The paper covers the human health and environmental risks from microplastics generated through landfill leaching, incineration, and degradation of improperly managed waste. The findings highlight how plastic waste mismanagement in one country can become a source of microplastic pollution that affects communities locally and globally.
The Plastic Waste Crisis in Indonesia and Thailand: Challenges, Environmental Impacts, and Sustainable Solutions
This qualitative analysis reviewed plastic waste management challenges in Indonesia and Thailand, finding both countries face serious environmental impacts from inadequate waste infrastructure, high plastic consumption, and imported plastic waste. Recommendations included extended producer responsibility, improved collection systems, and regional policy coordination.
Thailand's animals in peril: a systematic review of microplastic contamination and its ecological consequences
This systematic review examines microplastic contamination in animals across Thailand, from fish to birds, revealing widespread pollution in the country's ecosystems. The findings matter for human health because microplastics that accumulate in wildlife can move up the food chain and eventually end up on our plates.
Pengaruh Impor Sampah Plastik dari Belanda terhadap Keamanan Lingkungan di Indonesia
This study examined how plastic waste imports from the Netherlands affect environmental security in Indonesia, finding that cross-border waste trade exacerbates pollution and undermines Indonesia's domestic environmental regulations.
Plastic waste and microplastic issues in Southeast Asia
This review examines the plastic waste and microplastic crisis across Southeast Asia, a region that contributes significantly to global ocean plastic pollution. The authors found that inadequate waste collection, limited recycling infrastructure, and rapid economic growth are driving the problem. The study evaluates current waste management systems and proposes strategies for improving plastic waste reduction in these countries.
Transboundary movements of plastic waste from EU countries as a constraint for sustainability
This study examines the volume and destinations of plastic waste exports from EU countries under trade code 3915, finding that large quantities are shipped to less developed nations not subject to European environmental standards. The authors assess this 'waste tourism' against Basel Convention principles and Sustainable Development Goals, identifying transboundary plastic waste movements as a significant constraint on achieving a circular plastics economy.
Plastic Pollution: A Review
This review examines the complexity of global plastic pollution, covering legislative gaps, bioplastic alternatives, and strategies for reducing marine plastic contamination across multiple national contexts including Thailand and Spain. The review highlights the need for coordinated government, private sector, and public action to effectively reduce plastic waste entering marine environments.
The Trend of Plastic Recycling Policies in Japan on the Current Legal Regulation of Transboundary Movements of Plastic Waste
This paper reviews how Japan is reforming its plastic recycling policies following China's 2017 import ban on plastic waste and changes to the Basel Convention regulating international plastic waste trade. Japan's policy evolution offers lessons for how developed countries can build domestic plastic recycling capacity when export-based approaches are no longer viable.
Source Apportionment of Microplastics in Environment from Sanitary Landfill: A Case Study of Muangpak Municipality Landfill, Thailand
Researchers traced the sources of microplastic contamination in and around a municipal landfill in Thailand, finding that landfill decomposition is a significant contributor of microplastics to the surrounding environment. The study suggests that better waste management practices at landfills could help reduce microplastic pollution in nearby soil and water systems.
The consequences of trade on global plastic pollution
By combining plastic waste generation data with global trade commodity data, researchers found that plastic waste exported from high-income countries and mismanaged in lower-income nations contributes 1.2 million metric tons of additional plastic to aquatic environments annually, increasing prior estimates of high-income country contributions by 51% for freshwater and 100% for marine environments. The findings reveal that international waste trade is a major underestimated driver of global plastic and microplastic pollution.
A study on microplastics pollution and contamination from leachate and soil in open dumpsite in Pathum Thani province, Thailand
Researchers measured microplastic contamination in leachate (liquid that drains through waste) and soil at an open dumpsite in Thailand, finding high levels of plastic particles along with toxic heavy metals and harmful chemicals like BPA and phthalates. The results show that open dumpsites are major sources of microplastic and chemical contamination that can enter groundwater and food chains.
Microplastics contamination in terrestrial wildlife: the study in carcasses and feces of vertebrate species in western Thailand
Researchers examined microplastic accumulation in terrestrial wildlife carcasses and fecal samples from protected and non-protected areas of western Thailand, finding contamination in multiple species. The presence of microplastics in wildlife from protected areas highlights the inability of conservation boundaries to shield fauna from pervasive plastic pollution.
Microplastic contamination on the lower Chao Phraya: Abundance, characteristic and interaction with heavy metals
Researchers investigated microplastic abundance, characteristics, and heavy metal interactions in water and sediment samples from the lower Chao Phraya River in Thailand, collecting samples via manta trawl and sediment grab. The study documented the distribution and polymer types of microplastics in a Southeast Asian river and examined their capacity to carry associated heavy metal contaminants.