Norway and ASEAN collaborate to tackle marine plastic pollution.

East Asia is a hotspot for the leakage of plastic waste to the oceans, with most of the world’s largest-contributing countries located within the region. This means that the rivers and coastlines of Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, are on the front line of a global pollution crisis that directly affects local fisheries, tourism, and public health. While countries and local governments in the region have been early innovators in plastic waste management, major gaps in capacity and development remain, creating a clear need for targeted international collaboration.

One of the more structured responses to this challenge is the ASEAN-Norwegian Cooperation Project on Local Capacity Building for Reducing Plastic Pollution, known as ASEANO. Funded by the Government of Norway and led by the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) alongside the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) Indonesia, the project works closely with the PEMSEA Resource Facility and the ASEAN Secretariat. Its main goal is to build local capacity to tackle plastic pollution from key sources through improved knowledge on sources, releases, transport, and the ultimate fate of plastic waste. The Philippines’ Imus River in Cavite and Indonesia’s Citarum River serve as the two Southeast Asian project sites, making the findings directly relevant to local governments across the region.

Core takeaways from the ASEANO project approach

The core idea behind ASEANO is that effective solutions to marine plastic pollution must be built from the ground up. Rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all regional strategy, the project generates detailed, site-specific data — such as mapping sources and concentrations of plastic waste in the Imus River watershed — and then packages that knowledge into tools that other local governments can adapt. This approach acknowledges that capacity gaps vary widely across ASEAN member states, and that a toolkit developed for one river system can be a practical starting point for another facing similar challenges.

What the Imus River study reveals about plastic pollution in the Philippines

The Imus River in Cavite was selected as one of two ASEANO project sites because it represents a typical urban river system in the Philippines facing severe plastic pollution pressures. The project produced a series of detailed reports examining the situation from multiple angles: the causes of plastic pollution, mapping and characterization of the watershed, sources and concentration of plastic waste, and even the social implications of mitigation initiatives along the river. One notable finding from the knowledge, attitudes, and practices survey is that while awareness of plastic pollution is relatively high among residents, actual behavioural change — particularly around waste segregation and reduction — lags significantly behind.

The project also examined the food service industry along the river, producing a dedicated study on plastics use and waste management in that sector. This is a critical angle because sachet economy packaging and single-use plastics from food vendors are among the most visible and problematic waste streams in Philippine waterways. The reports collectively paint a picture of a problem that is not just about littering, but about systemic issues in waste collection infrastructure, product design, and consumer behaviour. PEMSEA worked directly with the Provincial Government of Cavite through its Environment and Natural Resources Office to design and implement the Philippine component, ensuring that the research was grounded in local realities and could feed directly into local policy.

What often gets missed in the plastic pollution conversation

Discussions about marine plastic pollution frequently focus on the visible debris — the floating bottles and bags that wash up on beaches. But the ASEANO project’s research highlights several less obvious but equally important dimensions.

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The capacity gap is not uniform

ASEAN member states like Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, the Philippines, and Viet Nam have all developed national plastic action plans. But the ASEANO project’s work reveals that countries vary significantly in policy readiness and implementation capacity. A local government in one province may have a well-functioning materials recovery facility, while a neighbouring province lacks even basic collection services. This unevenness means that regional cooperation must be flexible enough to meet local governments where they are, rather than prescribing a single standard.

Behavioural change requires more than information

The knowledge, attitudes, and practices survey along the Imus River found that residents generally understand that plastic pollution is harmful. Yet the actual practice of waste segregation and reduction remains inconsistent. This points to a need for interventions that go beyond awareness campaigns — such as convenient drop-off points, clear and enforced collection schedules, and economic incentives for reducing plastic use. The ASEANO project’s LGU toolkit is designed to help local governments design these kinds of multi-pronged strategies.

Social implications of mitigation matter

One of the less discussed aspects of plastic pollution mitigation is its social impact. When a local government bans certain plastics or tightens waste regulations, it can affect waste pickers, sari-sari store owners, and small food vendors who rely on low-cost packaging. The ASEANO project’s report on the social implications of mitigation initiatives along the Imus River examines these trade-offs, providing a more complete picture of what responsible policy looks like. Ignoring these social dimensions can lead to resistance or unintended harm, making the project’s holistic approach particularly valuable.

What you can do with the ASEANO findings

The ASEANO project was designed not just to produce research, but to create practical tools that local governments, civil society groups, and even individuals can use. Here is how different stakeholders can apply the project’s outputs.

Local government units: Use the LGU toolkit

The LGU Toolkit for Marine Litter is a digital resource that synthesizes the project’s findings into actionable steps. It covers monitoring tools, policy best practices, and technologies for plastics management. A municipal environment officer can use the toolkit to design a waste assessment, identify priority intervention points along a local river, and draft an ordinance informed by what worked in Cavite. The toolkit is freely available through the ASEANO Sea Knowledge Bank.

Researchers and students: Participate in the 2026 conference

The second phase of the project, ASEANO2, is already underway. An International Conference on Marine Plastic Pollution (ICMPP) will be held from 21 to 23 April 2026 at Vietnam Maritime University in Hai Phong, Viet Nam. The conference includes a high-level policy event, an academic forum, and a field visit to Cat Ba National Park. Researchers and practitioners can submit panel proposals, while students and early-career professionals are invited to submit poster presentations. The submission deadline is 7 April 2026, and participation is free of charge, though limited to 100 registrants. This is a direct opportunity to engage with the latest science and policy work emerging from the ASEANO network.

Civil society and advocates: Use the evidence base

For NGOs and community organizations working on waste management, the ASEANO project reports provide a credible, data-backed foundation for advocacy. The primers on mapping sources and concentration of plastic waste, the survey on plastic litter, and the study on the food service industry can all be cited in proposals, campaigns, and dialogues with local officials. Rather than relying on general claims about plastic pollution, advocates can point to specific findings from the Imus River that are likely to be relevant to similar waterways across the Philippines.

What is coming next: ASEANO2 and regional scaling

ASEANO2 represents the next phase of the collaboration, expanding the focus beyond the initial two river sites. The 2026 conference is a key milestone for this phase, bringing together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to share findings and plan next steps. The conference will also feature sessions on designing Extended Producer Responsibility schemes in Viet Nam and enforcement mechanisms for plastic waste management policies — topics that are directly relevant to the Philippines as it develops its own regulatory framework. For anyone tracking regional progress on marine plastic pollution, the April 2026 conference is a significant event to watch or attend.

Frequently asked questions about the ASEANO project

What to watch for next

The ASEANO project demonstrates that international cooperation on plastic pollution works best when it is grounded in local realities. The tools and reports produced from the Imus River study are already available for any local government in the Philippines to use, adapt, and build upon. The next major milestone is the April 2026 conference in Viet Nam, which will mark the beginning of ASEANO2 and offer a platform for sharing new research and policy innovations. For local officials, advocates, and researchers working on waste management, staying connected to this network — through the Sea Knowledge Bank, the conference, or the project reports — is a practical way to stay ahead of the curve. If this was useful, you might also want to read how pollution affects eco-tourism destinations in the Philippines.

Sources

Waste management challenges in Filipino slums — A closer look at how informal settlements cope with plastic waste and what local interventions are making a difference.

ASEANO project page and reports. PEMSEA, 2024.

International Conference on Marine Plastic Pollution 2026. Vietnam Maritime University, 2025.