Regional Plastics Outlook for Southeast and East Asia (OECD, 2025)
As the battle against plastic pollution intensifies, attention is increasingly on regional action. The OECD’s Regional Plastics Outlook for Southeast and East Asia provides a roadmap to support policy design and implementation in the region.
What are a few of the key findings?
- Policy action is accelerating in the region. Nine of the thirteen countries profiled have adopted national action plans on plastic pollution or waste management, while the remaining four are in active discussion.
- The region is extremely advanced – with a recycling rate (12%) that surpasses the global average (10%) – but also deals with significant amounts of mismanaged plastic waste (29%).
- Under current policies, plastics use in the region is projected to almost double, plastic waste to more than double and plastic leakage to increase by 68%, primarily originating from ASEAN lower middle-income countries and China.
- While global action is essential to end all forms of plastic pollution, Southeast and East Asia can virtually eliminate mismanaged waste and plastic leakage to the environment in the region by 2050.
The report was launched during a Green Talks LIVE webinar. Find the replay here.
For questions about the report, please contact: Ruben.Bibas@oecd.org
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