The Asia-Pacific region faces growing challenges in managing plastic waste due to rapid urbanization, rising consumption, and inadequate waste management infrastructure and regulations. The accumulation of plastic waste has led to severe environmental and health impacts, contaminating land, water, and air. Informal waste collectors play a critical role in recycling and collection, but their efforts are hindered by poor coordination, insufficient investment, and weak governance, limiting the effectiveness of circular economy initiatives and exacerbating social and environmental impacts.

The TCCF Plastics Circularity Project, funded by the Coca-Cola Foundation, addresses these challenges in nine countries, including India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The project seeks to establish a sustainable and gender-responsive circular economy for plastics, reducing plastic leakage into the environment while enhancing the livelihoods of waste workers, particularly women and vulnerable groups. Strengthening waste management frameworks, infrastructure, and integrating the informal sector are central to achieving these goals.

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