Dozens of firms launch $1 billion bid to finish plastic pollution in Asia, but environmentalists dismiss it as an ‘eco-darkwashing’ stunt

The Alliance announced that it’s working with the United Nations, the National Geographic Society and Project STOP in Indonesia, amongst others.

These firms want to look… concerned about plastic pollution while they proceed to supply it

In a speech on the launch, Laurent Auguste, vp of waste management company Veolia, said the primary stop was Southeast Asia since the region’s rapid development and growing middle class had “modified consumption patterns.”

“At the same time, there was a lack of investment in waste management and infrastructure,” Auguste said. He added that the group will collaborate on a project called Circular Capital to offer financing to Southeast Asian entrepreneurs trying to arrange plastic waste collection and processing sites.

Almost immediately, the alliance drew fire from regional environmental groups over the campaign’s intentions and site.

“We have reason to be skeptical of the newly formed Plastic Waste Elimination Alliance, led by the chemical and plastics industries. The conflict of interest is obvious,” said Daniel Alejandre of the EcoWaste Coalition within the Philippines.

“As part of this alliance, can we expect us to abandon single-use plastics in favor of sustainable packaging and delivery systems that conserve resources and stop chemical and plastic pollution of our oceans? The answer is probably no.”

He continued: “We are also concerned that their $1 billion pledge will be used solely for cosmetic waste management projects in order to hide the real problem and block the real solution.”

“The Asian Problem”

Since China banned the import of plastic waste in January 2018, Southeast Asia has develop into the world’s garbage dump. In one example alone, Thailand saw a 2,000 percent increase in imports of US plastic waste in the primary half of 2018.

In November, Greenpeace Malaysia issued a press release: “The Malaysian plastic recycling industry is overwhelmed by the influx of waste and is unable to administer waste in a sustainable and acceptable manner to government standards.” The group said Malaysia has develop into a dumping ground for recycling plastics from greater than 19 countries, including the US, UK and Australia.

“It appears that the illegal influx of plastic waste from abroad under the guise of recycling has deepened our woes,” said Alejandre of the Manila-based EcoWaste coalition. “We have observed that plastic waste, which is no longer allowed to enter China, is now being sent to Southeast Asian countries, especially the Philippines, for so-called recycling – but it is rarely recovered or recycled.”

Data from the Korea Customs Service showed that following Beijing’s ban, waste exports to the Philippines increased from 4,398 tons in 2017 to 11,588 tons in 2018.

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According to Greenpeace Malaysia, 90 percent of plastic waste is exported from high-income countries, but only 9 percent of it’s recycled. About 12 percent was found to be incinerated and the remainder – about 80 percent – ended up in landfills, oceans or the environment.

Southeast Asian governments have begun to reply. The Philippines has sent back exported plastic waste from South Korea twice previously few months. In July, Vietnam banned latest waste import licenses and took motion against illegal shipments. In October, Thailand said it will stop importing plastic waste by 2021, and Malaysia announced it will permanently ban the import of plastic waste by the identical date.

AEPW, which incorporates a few of the world’s largest plastics giants, said it was formed to combat the issue.

“Everyone agrees that plastic waste should not end up in our oceans or anywhere else in the environment. This is a complex and serious global challenge that requires rapid action and strong leadership,” David Taylor, CEO of Procter & Gamble and president of AEPW, said in a launch statement.

“This new alliance is the most comprehensive effort yet to eliminate plastic waste from the environment.”

But environmentalists didn’t mind.

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“We consider this alliance an ecological operation. It’s like firefighters starting a fire,” said Tom Zoete, spokesman for the Brussels-based Recycling Netwerk, referring to the practices of an industry or company that tries to appear more environmentally friendly than it actually is.

“When it comes to Southeast Asia, there are two possible answers as to why they are starting there. It can be argued that greater changes can be made in countries that do not have developed waste disposal systems.

“But we believe there is another agenda: focusing on Southeast Asia is a way of telling the United States and Western Europe that the crisis is far away – it is an Asian problem.”

Deafening silence

Among AEPW’s many critics, the loudest is Greenpeace, an environmental protection organization based in Amsterdam.

Its Malaysian branch told the web site Lent that many members who pledged $1 billion to fight plastic waste “invested $186 billion between 2010 and 2017 in latest plastics plants.”

“These companies want to appear as environmentalists concerned about plastic pollution, while they continue to produce plastics for profit. “Fossil fuel companies plan to increase plastic production by 40 percent in the coming years, plunging us into decades of worsening plastic pollution,” the group said this week in an email to Lent.

“Corporations try to look green, but we know it’s really about protecting their profits. The only way to prevent plastics from entering our environment is to stop producing them to begin with.”

Graham Forbes, head of Greenpeace Global Plastics, was much more direct when AEPW was formed: “This is a desperate attempt by corporate polluters to maintain the status quo in plastics. Make no mistake: plastics are the saving grace of the dying fossil fuel industry, and today’s announcement shows just how far companies will go to preserve them.”

But Laurent Auguste, Veolia’s chief executive, said AEPW was not nearly making “lofty commitments” before returning to the plastics industry. And Peter Baker, chief executive of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, called the AEPW campaign “unprecedented by way of size, reach, industry positions and geographic reach.”

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“History has shown us that collective action and partnerships between industry, governments and non-governmental organizations can deliver innovative solutions to such a global challenge,” said Bob Patel, CEO of LyondellBasell and vice chairman of AEPW.

“The problem of plastic waste is visible and felt all over the world. This needs to be addressed and we believe it is time for action.”

Still, amid accusations of “eco-scam,” AEPW remained calm. Since its launch, it has made several public statements and repeatedly requested comment Lent were ignored.

The silence has left some industry insiders wondering what’s next?

Steve Alexander, president of the Association of Plastic Recyclers, identified that one of these campaigns conducted by the industry have been organized for 30 years. This time, he said, AEPW seems “aware of the situation in Southeast Asia and is specializing in it quite directly.”

“There has been a huge increase in anti-plastic sentiment. They are very aware of the situation,” Alexander said.

“What’s intriguing to me is that big brands got involved in the project. And while it won’t really have a negative impact on them, if it doesn’t work, it makes a big difference. They admit it and face it: they stick their chin out.

“It’s a good start,” he said. “It’s definitely better than doing nothing.”

This article appeared within the print edition of the South China Morning Post as: Green groups have sharply criticized the industry’s efforts to cut back plastic waste