Paving the Path to a Plastic-Free South Asia: High-Level Regional Roundtable
A powerful call for regional cooperation and innovative solutions for plastic reduction and a circular economy echoed throughout the two-day...
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A powerful call for regional cooperation and innovative solutions for plastic reduction and a circular economy echoed throughout the two-day event “Plastic Free Rivers and Seas: A Vision for South Asia Regional Roundtable Meeting” held this April. This event was organized under the PLEASE project, implemented by SACEP, supported by UNOPS and the World Bank, and hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Sri Lanka. South Asian leaders, experts, and innovators convened in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to address the escalating crisis of plastic pollution. From transboundary policy challenges to the devastating impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems and the inspiring work of grassroots projects, the two-day event underscored the urgency and the potential for collective action in the region.
Several cross-cutting priorities emerged from the event:
Strengthen Policy and Accountability Systems: Participants stressed the need for clearer regulatory frameworks, robust enforcement mechanisms, and real-time data tracking to meaningfully convert good policies, like Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), into practice.
Foster Regional Collaboration: South Asia’s seas and rivers know no borders. Many problems of plastic waste in South Asia are transboundary. Governments were urged to move beyond siloed action and adopt regional approaches and platforms for sharing knowledge, harmonizing standards, and coordinating interventions, especially on transboundary issues like marine plastic litter and ghost gear.
Empower the Informal Sector and Local Communities: The roundtable repeatedly highlighted the central role of informal waste collectors, small recyclers, and community entrepreneurs. Future solutions must center around these actors, not just as beneficiaries, but as key implementers with greater access to financing, training, and market linkages.
Scale Financing Mechanisms: Whether through plastic credits, blended finance, or public-private partnerships, sustainable funding remains the linchpin for scalable impact. Governments were encouraged to leverage innovative tools to close infrastructure gaps without overburdening public budgets.
Support Innovation and Localized Solutions: From youth-led hackathon winners to scalable deposit-return pilots, many of the most effective ideas are born and field-tested locally. Participants emphasized the importance of adapting global international best practices to local contexts, rather than applying one-size-fits-all models.
Sustainability Onwards: A series of discussions urged that the long-term success of sustainable initiatives depended on three key actions: promoting reusable packaging, community-based recycling incentives, and local business support. These initiatives create resilient circular economies through grassroots partnerships that focus on environmental stewardship and resource efficiency.
Norbu Wangchuk, Director General, South Asia Co-operative Environmental Programme “This is not just a discussion—it’s a call to action to embed circularity and sustainability into our economies.
Cecile Fruman, Director, Regional Integration & Engagement for South Asia, The World Bank Group “Plastic moves fast, far, and across borders—our response must too.”
Charles Callanan, Director, South Asia Multi-Country Office, UNOPS, “No one country can solve this alone. But much of the solution is in this room.”
Honourable Anton Jayakody, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment, Sri Lanka “Let this be a catalyst to scale up solutions and make our vision a reality.”
Thematic Panel 1 – Policy & Regulatory Challenges: South Asian Leaders Call for Coordinated Action
Plastic waste doesn’t stop at borders, and neither can the solutions. That was the unifying message from government representatives across South Asia as they opened the first thematic panel on the first day of the roundtable. From the snow-capped Himalayas to the coral-fringed islands in the South Asia Region, policymakers brought urgency, innovation, and realism to the table. The panel, facilitated by Mr. Nalaka Gunawardene, included high-level government representatives from across South Asia as follows:
Ms. Farhina Ahmed (Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of Bangladesh), Mr. Sachin Limbu (Chief Environment Officer at the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Bhutan), Mr. Pravir Pandey (Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India), Honorable Ahmed Nizam (Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, Maldives), Mr. Shailesh Kumar Jha ( Joint Secretary at the Department of Environment, Ministry of Forests and Environment of Nepal), Honourable Dr. Shezra Mansab Ali Kharal (Minister of State at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Pakistan), Mrs. R. H. M. P. Abeykoon (Additional Secretary for Environment Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Environment, Sri Lanka), Nalaka Gunawardene (Moderator)
Thematic Panel 2 – Seas of Plastic
The session on Seas of Plastic highlighted the severe threat of Abandoned, Lost, and Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) to marine life, in addition to contaminating the food chain. Experts stressed the urgent need for standardized data and regional collaboration, potentially through a Bay of Bengal consortium, to address this transboundary crisis and explore ways to repurpose the collected waste.
Zofeen T. Ebrahim (Moderator), Dr. Gayathri Lokuge (Centre for Poverty Analysis), Dr. Gawsia Chowdhury (University of Dhaka) & Dr. Janaka de Silva (Fisheries Biologist, Marine & Coastal Issues)
Lightning Talks Session: PLEASE Community Sharing
Day 02 of the Regional Roundtable meeting opened with our 28 PLEASE project grantees from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka presenting highlights of their projects, key accomplishments, and learnings in concise three-minute presentations.
Thematic Panel 3 – Market-based Solutions for Plastic Waste
A panel of regional and global experts gathered to explore how economic tools can turn the tide, shifting plastic waste from an environmental threat to a resource. The discussion spotlighted Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), plastic credits, and financial innovations as critical levers for change.
Experts from across South Asia explored the potential for countries to share knowledge, standardize policies, and collaborate on addressing shared environmental challenges. The panel emphasized the importance of countries working together to overcome geopolitical differences and address plastic pollution collectively through institutional coordination, shared standards, and community-level engagement. The session included contributions from representatives across South Asia, who underscored the importance of leveraging existing regional bodies, such as SACEP, and creating new mechanisms, as well as recognizing the economic opportunities within the circular economy.
Zofeen T. Ebrahim (Moderator), Shahadat Hossain (University of Chittagong, Bangladesh), Karma Yonten (Greenerways, Bhutan) , Shantanu Srivastava (ThinkThrough Consulting, India), Hafsath Aleem (Clean Maldives), Dr. Anjana Singh (Tribhuvan University, Nepal ), Dr. Zillay Mariam (ISP Environmental Solutions Pakistan), Chaminda Rajapakse (Island Climate Initiative, Sri Lanka)
Special Event: Meet South Asian Youth Innovators!
“Meet South Asian Youth Innovators!” showcased the winning teams of the PLEASE Hackathon, who presented their winning ideas to combat the region’s plastic crisis, demonstrating the crucial role of youth-led innovation.
The final session focused on ensuring the project’s long-term impact. A strong call for greater regional coordination, policy alignment, and the commercialization of innovations echoed throughout the discussion, emphasizing that sustained progress requires collective action and a long-term vision.
Alternatives for Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) in South Asia
Facilitated by Dr. Jane Gilbert (Carbon Clarity, UK) with support from Nina Tsydenova (World Bank) and Prakriti Kashyap (SACEP), this workshop explored South Asia’s readiness to adopt alternatives to single-use plastics (SUPs). Additionally, notable progress is being made in countries such as Bangladesh and the Maldives. Compostable materials and natural fibers show promise, but infrastructure gaps and inconsistent policies remain key challenges.
Plastic Disclosure Data
Accurate plastic pollution data is vital. Led by Shantanu Srivastava (ThinkThrough Consulting, India), the workshop highlighted advances in data collection tools, citizen science, and corporate transparency, while stressing the need for standardized definitions and government leadership for effective policy making.
Plastic Recycling: Making Sense of Many Ways to Process, Finance, & Export Recycled Plastics
Facilitated by Thierry Sanders (KOLEKT, Netherlands), the session discussed recycling processes, financing, and export hurdles in South Asia. Emphasis was placed on empowering informal waste pickers, adopting low-tech sorting facilities, and developing context-sensitive policies to boost recycling rates and sustainable plastic management.
Working with the International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Led by Ajeya Bandopadyay (IFC South Asia Lead on Climate Change) this session offered a behind-the-scenes look at how innovators in emerging markets can access sustainable finance through the IFC. With insights on blended finance, circular economy ventures, and pioneering models like the world’s first blue loan to Indorama Ventures, the session laid out a practical roadmap for scaling high-impact solutions through IFC’s extensive global network.
Value chain of Recycling Fishing Nets
Drawing from a World Bank-supported 2024 study, Dr. Gawsia Chowdhury (University of Dhaka) led a regional conversation on transforming abandoned fishing nets into recyclable resources. The session highlighted innovative community models, color-coded net standards, and pilot buyback programs in India and Sri Lanka—while emphasizing the need for regional coordination, gender inclusion, and a robust market for collected nets.
Development of High Functioning EPR Schemes, Focusing on Accountability Systems.
This technical deep-dive led by Komal Sinha (Verra) and Kartik Kapoor (Independent Expert), tackled the nuts and bolts of effective Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). From Brazil’s social frameworks to Bangladesh’s dual compliance models, the facilitators explored global best practices for South Asia. Plastic credits, third-party audits, and centralized registries emerged as key tools to ensure recycling claims are verifiable, equitable, and scalable.
The South Asia regional roundtable discussion was more than a forum; it was a call to action. Across stakeholder groups, ministries, sectors, and borders, a clear consensus emerged: South Asia must forge a shared path to tackle plastic pollution with urgency, innovation, and equity at its core.
While the challenges are complex, from fragmented governance to financing hurdles, the solutions are increasingly within reach. What is needed now is follow-through: political will, institutional commitment, and enhanced continued collaboration. Participants left not just with talking points, but with policy models, pilot results, and new partnerships to pursue.
As the region navigates the road from pilot to policy and from pledge to practice, this roundtable stands as a milestone in the journey, one that reaffirms South Asia’s collective resolve to protect its land, rivers, seas, and communities from the growing tide of plastic pollution.
