The EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) has unveiled its latest report, “From Waste to Wealth: Advancing ASEAN’s Circular Economy Through EPR Alignment,” calling for urgent action to harmonize Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks across Southeast Asia. The report outlines a strategic path forward to reduce plastic waste and build a sustainable, circular economy through coordinated regulatory reform and investment in recycling infrastructure.
With six ASEAN member states among the top 10 global contributors to marine plastic pollution, the report underscores the region’s critical need to accelerate its transition from a linear to a circular economy. Currently, fragmented EPR policies, low recycling rates, and underdeveloped waste systems are major obstacles, creating high compliance costs and inefficiencies for businesses operating across borders.
The EU-ABC report highlights the inconsistencies in national EPR schemes across ASEAN, noting a lack of clarity around producer definitions, divergent fee structures, and varying reporting standards. These discrepancies hinder regional integration and limit the scalability of sustainable practices.
“The launch marks a crucial step toward ensuring that ASEAN’s circular economy is not just a lofty goal, but a reality,” said Chris Humphrey, Executive Director of the EU-ASEAN Business Council. “Aligning regulatory frameworks and investing in infrastructure will transform EPR from a compliance measure into a real engine for sustainability and economic growth.”
The report presents a roadmap for change, recommending:
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Stronger national EPR policies,
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Harmonized definitions and compliance frameworks,
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A regional market for recycled materials, and
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Integration of informal waste collectors into formal systems.
It also emphasizes the importance of financial incentives, trade facilitation, and private-public collaboration in fostering a vibrant circular economy across ASEAN.
Leading multinational firms have voiced their support for the report’s findings, stressing the need for coordinated EPR systems tailored to the ASEAN context.
Karina Lucia, VP of Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, highlighted the role of “Extended Stakeholder Responsibility” in building inclusive, locally relevant EPR models. “Mandatory EPR can level the playing field and drive systemic waste management reform in emerging ASEAN economies,” she said, pointing to Coca-Cola’s initiatives in community-based collection and support for informal waste workers in Indonesia.
Christian Stammkoetter, President of Danone Asia, Middle East, and Africa, called EPR a “catalyst for systemic change.” “Well-designed EPR systems are vital for scaling collection, increasing recycling rates, and reducing reliance on virgin plastic,” he said, reaffirming Danone’s support for an ambitious global plastics treaty.
As ASEAN strives to balance rapid economic growth with environmental sustainability, the EU-ABC’s report positions EPR alignment as a cornerstone of long-term resilience and regional cooperation. The business council is advocating for closer collaboration between governments and industry to build an integrated, low-carbon circular economy that can serve as a model for emerging markets worldwide.