Philippines joins Southeast Asian effort to end plastic waste
To help deal with plastic waste, the Philippines plans to soon put into use a new 25 million peso (481,877 USD) garbage-disposal plant in Metro Manila, the Nikkei Asia Review reported on September 14.
Plastic waste is sorted at a new recycling plant in Metro Manila. (Photo: Nikkei Asia Review)
Hanoi (VNA) – To help deal withplastic waste, the Philippines plans to soon put into use a new 25 million peso (481,877 USD) garbage-disposal plantin Metro Manila, the Nikkei Asia Review reported on September 14.
The plant is expected to pulveriseabout 1 tonne of plastic a day, equal to about 400,000 sachets of shampoo andinstant coffee, to make sidewalk blocks and other products.
The country is also getting seriousabout plastic waste imported illegally from developed countries as it announcedin August that it would impose a three-month moratorium on waste-relatedimports. It has even sent some back to Canada, which had been discoveredshipping waste illegally to the country for years.
More than 8 million tonnes ofplastic is dumped into the world's oceans each year, with China and four otherAsian nations accounting for the majority of this. Meanwhile, the mountains ofplastic waste produced globally had largely gone unnoticed until China beganreducing waste imports in 2014 before banning them outright in 2018.
With nowhere to go, the wastefound its way to Southeast Asia, with the Philippines seeing plastic wasteimports rise 150 percent from 2016 to about 11,800 tonnes in 2018.
Following Duterte'stirade, the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resourcesannounced the three-month moratorium. A department official urged businesses totake the waste matter seriously and promised to cooperate with them in theirefforts to tackle the problem.
The Global Alliance forIncinerator Alternatives has heavily criticised multinationals' reliance onsingle-use plastics, saying that nearly 60 percent of plastic packaging in thePhilippines comes from 10 multinational companies, including Nestle, Unileverand Procter & Gamble.
Moreover, investors arebeginning to focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) investmentprinciples so businesses cannot afford to ignore the issue.
Many other Southeast Asiancountries are also unhappy with multinationals over the vast amounts of plasticwaste they generate. This has prompted about 40 companies – including DowChemical and BASF – to establish the nonprofit Alliance to End Plastic Waste inJanuary./.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) and the Packaging Recycling Organisation Vietnam (Pro Vietnam) inked a deal in Hanoi on September 11 on joint efforts to reduce plastic waste.
Many agencies, units and businesses across the northern province of Phu Tho have been taking specific actions in response to the “no plastic waste” campaign.
A national drive in response to the “Clean up the world” campaign 2019 was launched in Do Son district in the northern port city of Hai Phong on September 12.
Total trade between Indonesia and New Zealand in the first half of 2025 reached 963.23 million USD, an increase of 21.56% compared to 792.39 million USD in the same period last year. Of this amount, Indonesia's exports to New Zealand totaled 374.89 million USD, while imports 588.35 million USD
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Plastic waste is sorted at a new recycling plant in Metro Manila. (Photo: Nikkei Asia Review)
