Sustainable Plastics - May/June 2022 - 9

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tion abatement enacted, over
time. An essential next step is
to get the young people of the
community involved for a real,
ongoing and measurable impact.
And last, communicate
the metrics to the community
to build an understanding of
how these efforts make a difference.
Only if people see the
results will they start to care.
And if they care, they will also
be willing to take ownership of
the problem and take part in the
new solutions and plastic waste
reduction policies offered.
To that end, achievable goals
and 'small wins' are vital. One example
of a small win was provided
by panelist Nikhilesh Paliath,
who shared how the organisers
of an annual large event in one
location in India, with thousands
of attendees, exponentially reduced
plastic waste for four consecutive
years. By sharing their
story with the local community
- building trust - and engaging
event participants in zero-waste
efforts while at the event, the
organisers were able to achieve
even better results. Such 'small
wins' enable local residents to
receive the proverbial pat on the
back that is sorely missing in today's
local and global world, the
panelists noted. Trust and ownership
can provide a foundation
for truly impactful change.
Making change happen
The panelists, while skeptical
that decisive action would
be taken to alter the current
approach to the problem of
plastic waste pollution in
Asia, also pointed out that it
wasn't just an 'Asia' problem.
They also did not think that
multigovernmental organizations
could regulate and enact
the effective laws needed,
to change the predicted gap
in 2040 between new plastic
used and the amount that is
recycled or repurposed.
They decried the sheer
amount of waste they see
around Asia but believe that a
local approach with the steps
described above could result
in some positive changes being
made.
Yet while the solution indeed
needs to be tackled at
the local level, funding must
be provided at the country level.
As Steir concluded: " Imagine
if the governments of Asia
cumulatively committed, to
start, as much as USD$500
million, to engage hundreds
- potentially thousands - of
local communities to clean up
their waterways as a clear first
step with the follow-up game
plan mapped out as described
above.
" Just maybe - by 2040 and
hopefully much sooner - the
people of Asia will look at its rivers
and waterways as a source
of pride and not, as now seems
far more likely, a continued
source of plastic waste. "
ROB STEIR can be reached at rob@capp.global. Steir is the
co-founder of the Commitments Accelerator for Plastic Pollution
(CAPP.Global), a program from Ocean Recovery Alliance,
and is a co-founder in a waste-to-energy company, FrontlineWaste.com.
About
the panel: " Is Asia doing enough to clean up plastic
waste from entering its waterways? "
Panelists:
DOUG WOODRING, founder, Ocean Recover Alliance; CAPP.
Global, co-founder
D.C. SEKHAR, AlphaMERS, executive director
YOUNA LYONS, Advisory Committee on the Protection of the
Seas, chair of the board
COLEEN SALAMAT, EcoWaste Coalition, plastic solutions
campaigner
NIKHILESH PALIATH, Break Free From Plastic, youth ambassador
View
recorded panel: https://makethecase.capp.global/eastasia-panel
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May/June 2022
9
http://durethan-blue.lanxess.com https://www.frontlinewaste.com/ https://www.frontlinewaste.com/ https://makethecase.capp.global/east-asia-panel https://makethecase.capp.global/east-asia-panel
Sustainable Plastics - May/June 2022

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