In partnership with Anthesis Group, the Circulate Initiative conducted a detailed assessment of wastesheds in India, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. SEI Asia contributed to the Thailand report.
Photo by the Circulate Initiative
Though many urban areas of India, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam have municipally managed waste collection, there remains a high reliance on the informal sector for the collection, aggregation, and recycling of plastic. The opportunity to improve the management of plastic waste in these countries is vast. While there is a range of existing studies on national waste flows, few explore the plastic supply chains in more localized contexts.
Recognizing this need, the Circulate Initiative with the Anthesis Group, produced four reports, Mapping Local Plastic Recycling Supply Chains: Insights from Selected Cities in India, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. The research undertakes a detailed assessment of “wastesheds”, a geographical region with a common solid waste disposal system, or an area designated by the governing institutions as appropriate for developing a common recycling program in each country.
The assessments of the wastesheds aim to provide a better understanding of existing practices and systems and identify where improvements could be made.
SEI report / This report provides an overview of the complex plastic value chain in India, the key stakeholders involved, and their roles and interactions.
SEI brief / Waste management is a pressing environmental policy concern for Thailand.
Perspective / Informal waste collectors play a key role in urban waste management but are often ignored in policy measures to make their lives and livelihoods better.
Design and development by Soapbox.
