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👱🏻‍♀️ Over 25 years ago, one hit wonder Europop group, Aqua, may have claimed “life in plastic, it’s fantastic!” in their 1997 single “Barbie Girl”, but we vehemently disagree with this statement. With “Barbie girls” once again at the top of the cultural zeitgeist thanks to Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, it seems like an opportune moment to re-assess how fantastic life in plastic really is.

♾️ Undeniably ubiquitous—with a seemingly infinite range of applications—plastic may indeed make life seem more fantastic through its use in everything from takeout food packaging 🥡 to medical equipment 🩺 to clothing 👕. However, there is also a dark side to it. The planet is choking on plastic and Southeast Asia is playing a central role in this issue.

🔎 Demystifying inorganic waste, with a focus on plastic in particular

Last week we covered organic waste, which comprises primarily of food & agriculture 🌾 waste, so tends to be easier to process as it’s biodegradable, meaning that it can leverage technologies like biodigesters, methane capture, composting, pyrolosis/gasification, etc. Unlike organic waste, inorganic waste tends to be trickier to decompose, and as such, requires different management techniques altogether.

Inorganic waste includes the following:

🍾 Glass bottles

 🥫 Aluminum cans

🥤 Plastic containers

We are going to focus on the last one in particular because across Southeast Asia, plastic tends to make up the majority of the inorganic waste generated, and it’s growing fast (UNEP, 2017).

🤔 What even is “plastic”?

While you might initially associate plastic with toys like Barbie dolls, plastic actually describes a wide range of materials that have the “capability of being molded or shaped, usually by the application of heat and pressure… with other special properties such as low density, low electrical conductivity, transparency, and toughness” (Brittanica, 2023). Plastic includes everything from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) piping to insulating food containers made of foamed polystyrene and more!

The first fully synthetic plastic, Bakelite (shown above), was invented in 1907 by Leo Baekeland in the US, initially as a material that insulated against electricity. However, it wasn’t until World War II that demand for plastic spiked as a result of manufacturing in military equipment; after the war, further commercial applications in consumer goods continued to drive demand (Science History, 2023). Between the 1950s and 2020, plastic production increased 230-fold, reaching 460 million tonnes in 2019 (Our World in Data, 2022).

🤷🏻 So what’s the big deal? It seems like a pretty useful material to humanity

🛢️ To figure out why plastic is such a big environmental issue, we first need to examine how it’s created… Plastics can be manufactured from a variety of sources, including naturally occurring materials. For instance, bioplastics can be composed of corn- or sugar-based compounds so are thus more readily biodegradable (Elements of Polymer Science & Engineering, 2013). Although plastics can indeed be manufactured from such materials, around 99% of plastics are produced using petrochemicals AKA fossil fuels (Principles of Responsible Investing, 2021).

🏭 Because the vast majority of plastics are effectively oil derivatives, the associated carbon dioxide (CO₂) footprint with plastic production is quite massive. In 2019, they contributed to 3.4% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: 1.8 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions and it’s projected to more than double by 2060 at current trajectories (OECD, 2020).

♻️ Additionally, plastic waste management is a major issue, with around 280 million tonnes of the stuff being discarded every year (UNEP, 2023). In spite of what you may have been led to believe by industry-led PR & marketing campaigns, plastic actually has a dismally low recycling rate, with 70-80% of it ending up in landfills on average. These statistics are even worse for developing countries, which constitute the majority of Southeast Asia: only about 40% of plastic is actually managed, with the rest either openly burned or dumped directly into water systems (Recycled Plastic Biocomposites, 2022).

🤢 Mismanagement of plastic waste has meant that plastics are ending up in the most unexpected places: in the deep recesses of the ocean, in pristine mountain glaciers, in breast milk, and even in human bodies (UNEP, 2023).

🌏 How is Southeast Asia contributing to this issue?

📊 While countries like the US, India and China actually produce the most plastic waste, Southeast Asia actually contributes the most to ocean plastic (see 2 charts below):

😲 As you can see, ASEAN contributes far more to ocean plastic than any other region, with 6 out of the top 10 polluting countries in the world based in Southeast Asia.

♻️ The discrepancy between generation and eventual oceanic presence is due to the fact that countries like Indonesia and Philippines tend to mismanage their waste at far higher rates than developed countries (Science Advanced, 2021).

⛈️ Moreover, weather conditions such as typhoons/heavy rains and these countries’ geographic proximity to the oceans through vast river systems and archipelagic layout is a perfect storm for ocean-bound plastic waste. Beyond the obvious environmental issues, the total economic cost of this ocean plastic has been quantified as amounting to USD 6-19 billion per year (Deloitte, 2019)!

📚 Want to learn more about this topic?

1. “The climate benefits of plastic waste management in India and Southeast Asia” from The Circulate Initiative

2. “Plastic waste and microplastic issues in Southeast Asia” from Frontiers of Environmental Science

📢 Shout-out to River Cleanup!

💪🏽 We’d first like to give a shout-out to the River Cleanup, a global network organization stopping plastic from reaching our oceans by cleaning rivers, changing behavior, and transforming organizations. Globally, they have managed to recover 3.4 million kilograms of trash!

💦 Their Indonesia chapter is working hard to clean up rivers like the notorious Citarum, which is considered the most polluted river in the world (The Diplomat, 2018). Shout-out to Mas Egar for leading their impactful operations.

Similar organizations include:

• Sungai Watch, which is focused in Bali but expanding across the region. As of the writing of this newsletter, they have managed to collect 1.4 million kilograms of plastic!

• The Ocean Cleanup, which is a Netherlands-based organization with operations globally. So far, they have been able to manage 5.5 million kilograms of trash!

🗞️ Recent News

👍🏻 Good News

🚫 Indonesia Cracks Down on the Scourge of Imported Plastic Waste by Yale Environment 360 (Yale Environment 360, 1 August 2023)

🪙 EU-funded Waste Reduction Campaign Focuses on Reducing Plastic, Food Waste in Southeast Asia (Tempo, 2 August 2023)

↗️ Borealis-led waste management project expands in Indonesia (Sustainable Plastics, 19 September 2023)

🌊 Also, though a bit older (from a couple of years ago) it’s also worth highlighting that ASEAN actually issued a regional policy for tackling marine plastic pollution! (ASEAN, 28 May 2021)

👎🏻 Bad News

🪣 The Philippines’ Plastic Problem (Washington Post, 22 April 2023)

😷 Southeast Asia chokes on Mekong plastic pollution (Mongabay, 18 July 2023)

🏖️ Bali has a $40 Million Trash Problem (Bloomberg, 13 August 2023)

📢 Other Voices

♻️ Recycling all mismanaged plastic waste in South, Southeast Asia could reduce emissions by over 200 million (Eco-Business/The Circulate Initiative, 13 July 2023)

🌏 Which country is the most accountable for Ocean Plastic? (Plastic Bank, 16 March 2023)

🔎 Tracking transnational plastic waste in Southeast Asia (University of Sydney, 23 May 2023)

🗑️ Garbage Politics (Harvard International Review, 1 March 2023)

🚮 Why Asia needs to wake up to plastic waste in our oceans, and how banning single-use items would be a vital step forwards (South China Morning Post, 8 May 2023)

🎙️ Interview with Sean & Adam of Reviv

💡 Why were you initially inspired to tackle the waste management issue?

♻️ Plastic waste has become one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Traveling throughout Indonesia has been both awe inspiring and also an eye opener for just how vast this problem is. It became clear that while plastic has undeniably improved our daily lives, its afterlife is harming our planet. As a Materials Engineer, I felt compelled to be part of a sustainable solution.

🛠️ How exactly is Reviv solving it?

⚙️ Reviv is pioneering advanced recycling methods to convert plastic waste into valuable products. By using state-of-the-art technology, we're able to break down traditionally non-recyclable plastics into fuels and other valuable chemicals. Our approach not only reduces the amount of plastic entering our environment but also offsets the need for virgin fossil resources. We're working at the intersection of innovation and sustainability to drive forward a circular economy.

❌ What are some misconceptions about plastic that you’d like readers to know?

😲 Most people might be surprised to learn that since the 1950s, only about 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled. The rest — a staggering 91% — has been discarded, often ending up in landfills, incinerated, or becoming environmental pollution. This emphasizes the gravity of the plastic crisis and highlights the need for innovative solutions.

🎬 What actions can readers take now to support your cause?

💁🏻‍♂️ Readers can make a significant impact by supporting our fundraising efforts as we scale and expand our operations. We're also on the lookout for passionate individuals to join our team, particularly those with expertise in engineering, marketing, and regulatory affairs. Moreover, spreading awareness about advanced recycling methods and reducing single-use plastic consumption are crucial steps everyone can take in their daily lives.

🦸🏻 What do you do when you’re not saving the world?

🌴 We love spending time in nature. Indonesia is so diverse and each island has so many amazing things to discover. Our team enjoys hiking, diving, kayaking and just taking time to relax at the beach.

⏭️ Next week, we’ll continue expanding on the waste management issue by highlighting some innovators who are experimenting with alternative materials like algae 🌿 and mushrooms 🍄 in order to minimize the amount of non-biodegradable inorganic waste… Talk about thinking outside of the box 📦!

❓ Did you enjoy this week’s issue? If yes, please do forward to your friends who would enjoy the read as well. Also, feel free to let us know what you thought by giving us feedback at [email protected].

🌊 SEA you next week!

Karina & Massimiliano