As Australians, we are proud to live next to clean beach and crystal clear ocean. Either going for a short dip before work or someone like me, I go for a beach walk almost every day with my daughter.
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We may not be able to do this in the future as the recent UN plastic treaty negotiations failed. Despite six rounds of negotiations over the past three years, we didn't reach an agreement.
Deep inside me, I knew this was coming. I felt frustrated.
We're disappointing ourselves and the next generations. I can't imagine a life when my daughter grows up and ocean swimming is no longer possible.
"By 2050 there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean" according to Ellen Macarthur Foundation. If new plastic productions continue, this could become a reality.
Are we Australians ready for this?
In every crisis there is always opportunity
We still can change this. But Australia must do it with an inclusive approach even without a treaty.
We can't focus only on the environmental aspect but need to take the social aspect into account. I refer to "people" who are often forgotten.
It means you, me or those waste heroes who collect plastic waste from the street every day but yet being neglected from the treaty conversations.
Scientists estimate that an equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic waste enters the world's oceans every minute.
Mismanaged plastic waste contributed more greenhouse gas emissions than the aviation sector. This trend continues to grow.
The global plastic supply chain's collection relies on the informal sector. There are estimated 40 million informal waste workers globally collecting about 60 per cent of plastics recycling.
Indonesia is the world's second largest producer of plastic waste and there are about 2 million informal waste sector workers.
As someone who grew up in both Australia and Thailand and dedicated my career to solving south-east Asia's plastic waste crisis over the past four years, I know this change can be done.
For example, global brands, businesses, and nonprofit organisations have joined forces in the Responsible Sourcing Initiative Indonesia project I'm leading.
Australia must act now at home and with our south-east Asia's partners
We have to continue with the single plastics ban which we started in 2022 in NSW. All Australian states and territories need to follow through with their commitments.
We can't just let politics reverse the progress we've made like how the US President did with plastic straws right after he took office.
We require a combination of solutions to tackle plastic waste. Recycling is still one of them but needing to do it responsibly.
Australia's import recycled plastics from south-east Asia have grown over the recent years. Most of these imports come from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Many Australian business goods are also manufactured in these countries. To put it simply, products we buy from Coles or Woolworth could come from south-east Asia.
Australia and our south-east Asia's partners have to view ourselves as one in this plastic waste crisis. Australia must invest in the region's supply chains.
Step by step for Australia to take urgently
The government must take two simple steps.
Firstly, the government must demand Australian businesses to get involved and have transparent and responsible plastics value chains in south-east Asia. It needs to facilitate collaborations between Australian companies with regional grassroots organisations.
We need more Australian companies like DJAMU to turn plastic waste into valuable materials. They are not only used for water bottles but furniture and things we use in our daily life.
Second, the government must review their grant and investment portfolios in the region. We need to embed and increase direct funding to grassroots projects, especially the informal waste sector as a critical component.
For example, we leverage learnings from the CSIRO's Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network (or known as IPPIN) to further scale grassroots inclusive recycling models. We work to ensure existing aid and climate programs such as the $200 million KINETIK embed grassroots projects, particularly supporting informal worker cooperatives.
Australia can't think that we're a global climate leader without supporting our neighbouring region solving this plastic crisis together.
- Khunapong Khunaraksa is a senior director at The Circulate Initiative and leads the Responsible Sourcing Initiative Indonesia Project, addressing plastic pollution and human rights challenges in the recycling supply chain.
