Brief Description

Dialogue Forum 5: Surge in Plastic Waste during COVID-19 and the Roadmap towards Sustainable Plastic Waste Management was held on 26 August 2020 by SEA Junction in collaboration with its partners, Bangkok Tribune News Agency; Thai Society of Environmental Journalists; Project SEVANA South-East Asia, and with the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (Thailand Office). 

One of the issues which have grasped public attention recently is the surge in plastic use and plastic waste during the lockdown and restrictions against COVID-19. Thailand Environment Institute has revealed the fact in regard to the issue that plastic waste increased during the lockdown up to 15%, or up from around 5,500 tons a day to 6,300 tons a day. More critically, it found the relationship of this increased amount of plastic waste to the shift in people’s lifestyle following the pandemic as most of this waste is a result from food delivery.

This forum examined the state of plastic waste management which always get challenged by constant increasing amount. The current roadmaps and efforts from public and private sectors including civil society were illustrated. The speakers together with participants also discussed the ways forward for the waste strategies, particularly policies in terms of law, regulation, and socio-economic instruments.

 

Photographer
Tipakson Manpati and Lattapol Jirapathomsakul