Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid and Plastic Waste Management in Lao PDR Findings and Actions for Change © 2022 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the data included in this work and does not assume responsibility for any errors, omissions, or discrepancies in the information, or liability with respect to the use of or failure to use the information, methods, processes, or conclusions set forth. 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Get CLEAN and Green—Solid and Plastic Waste Management in Lao PDR. ©World Bank.” Photo credits: Cover photo: World Bank 2022 Page 9: World Bank 2022 All images listed below used under license from Shuttershock.com Page i: ‘A boy collects cans and water bottles at an event’ – © Yangxiong ‘A housekeeper dropping off garabage in Vientiane’ – © LANLAO ‘Pollution of the banks of the Mekong River’ – © BTWImages Page 2: ‘Locals searching the dump in Luang Prabang’ – © Gerardo C.Lerner Page 8: ‘Digging rubbish away from a flooded road’ – © Ekapong ‘Rubbish dumping in public places’ – © BetterMan ‘Garabage dumping site in Northern Laos’ – © FuGazi images Page 18: ‘Plastic bottle in the ocean sea water’ – © Mr.anaked Page 38: Larb - Lao minced beef salad served with lettce leaves for wraps’ – © Khamkhlai Thanet ‘A Lao woman collects recyclables on the streets of Luang Prabang’ – © bumihills ‘Garabage bamboo wicker baskets’ – © Anirut Thailand ‘Blue Lagoon, Vang Vieng, Laos’ – © Smarta Burning waste at the ossuary at a Buddhist monastery Ducklings in the trash near Vang Vieng Wat Si Sou Mang, Vang Vieng A housekeeper dropping off garbage in Vientiane Reduce single-use plastics and achieve a major reduction in waste amounts and plastics pollution A boy collects cans and water bottles at an event Pollution on the banks of the Mekong River ii Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR CONTENTS Acknowledgements iv Abbreviations v SOLID AND PLASTIC WASTE IN THE LAO PDR — CURRENT STATUS vi 1 BACKGROUND 1 2 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT 4 How Much Waste? 4 Types of Waste 4 Waste Collection 6 Recycling and Composting 6 Plastics Recycling 7 Disposal 7 The Institutions and Stakeholders 10 Policies and Legislation 11 How is Solid Waste Management Financed? 11 Plastic Production, Import and Export 12 3 ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS 14 Environment 14 Health 15 Livelihoods 15 4 PLASTIC POLLUTION 16 Key Findings 16 Top 10 Plastic Items 18 Plastic Pollution Hotspots 20 Informal Dumpsites 21 Assessment on Recyclability and Alternatives 21 5 ROADMAP TOWARDS A NATIONAL PLASTIC ACTION PLAN (NPAP) 24 Transitioning from a Linear to Circular Economy 24 Plastic Policy Roadmap 24 Policy Measures 25 Priority Stakeholders 27 Priority Plastic Policies 29 High Potential Plastic Policy Measures 30 Recommended Next Steps to Develop an NPAP 33 6 ACTIONS FOR CHANGE 34 Action on Plastic 35 Create New Legal and Institutional Frameworks 35 Invest in Solid Waste Management Operations 36 Move towards a Circular Waste Economy 37 iii FIGURES Figure 1. Solid Waste Generation in Six Ciites in the Lao PDR Between 2000 and 2020 5 Figure 2. Types of Waste Collected 5 Figure 3. What Happens to Solid Waste and Plastic Waste in the Lao PDR 8 Figure 4. Import of Plastic Waste into the Lao PDR in Tons 13 Figure 5. Percentage of Samples from That Luang Marsh Containing Microplastic 14 Figure 6. How does Plastic Waste Escape into the Riverine Environment? 17 Figure 7. Diagnostic Assessment Sites 18 Figure 8. Number of Plastic Product Items 19 Figure 9. Number of Hotspots per 100,000 20 Figure 10. Hotspots in Vientiane 21 Figure 11. Plastic Polymer Types 22 Figure 12. Plastic Policy Roadmap 25 Figure 13. Waste Hierarchy—Moving from Disposal to Prevention 26 Figure 14. Four Key Changes Needed 34 TABLES Table 1. Number and Type of Plastic Waste Facilities 7 Table 2. Legislation and Policy Under Development 11 Table 3. Overview of Legislation Relevant to Solid Waste Management 12 Table 4. Import and Export of Plastic into the Lao PDR in Tons 13 Table 5. Product Types 19 Table 6. Numbers and Types of Plastic Pollution Hotspots 20 Table 7. Numbers and Size of Informal Dumpsites near Rivers and Inland 22 Table 8. Recyclability and Value of Plastic Product Items 23 Table 9. Alternative Materials to Plastic 23 Table 10. Proposed List of PRIORITY Single-Use Plastics 28 Table 11. High Potential Plastic Policy Measures 30 iv Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR Acknowledgements The Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid and Plastic Waste Management in Lao PDR is a World Bank advisory product developed for the Government of the Lao PDR (GoL) under the World Bank’s Lao PDR Resilient Green Growth Program. The program aims to support the implementation of its National Green Growth Strategy 2030 (NGGS). This strategy is designed to foster economic growth whilst transitioning towards a greener economy that builds human and natural capital, protects the environment, and creates green jobs. The management of solid waste and plastics waste is an important component of this strategy. This report is a deliverable under the Resilient Green Growth Programmatic Analytical and Advisory Services (P171011) implemented by the World Bank. Sister Advisory Services and Analytics (ASAs) address related topics important for the Lao PDR such as sustainable forest management, landscape valuation and the Lao PDR’s biodiversity. It specifically aims to generate and convene knowledge that informs the implementation of the Lao PDR’s green growth transition and helps the country build natural and human capital from better management of pollution, waste and renewable natural resources. The World Bank task team for Environment, Natural Resources, and Blue Economy in the Lao PDR leads on the Lao PDR Resilient Green Growth Program. The team is led by Maurice Andres Rawlins (Senior Environmental Specialist). The task lead for this advisory product is Klaus Sattler (Environmental Specialist) and co-led by Kaysone Vongthavilay (Environmental Management Consultant for WB). The World Bank team carried out this work in cooperation with the Lao PDR’s Ministry Of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) as well as the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) and Urban Development and Administration Authorities (UDAAs) from multiple cities in the country. Special thanks is given to Excellency Bounkham Vorachit, Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and her dedicated teams for supporting the World Bank team in the development of this report. The team also thanks World Bank management for providing strategic guidance. This includes: Alexander Kremer (Country Manager for the Lao PDR), Mona Sur (Practice Manager for Environment and Natural Resources and Blue Economy for East Asia and the Pacific), Christophe Crepin (previous Practice Manager for Environment and Natural Resources for East Asia and the Pacific), Mark Austin (Program Leader for Sustainable Development, South East Asia), and Stephen Danyo (former Task Team Leader) who provided strategic guidance. The data collection and assessment feeding into this product was carried out by the COWI consulting firm and Lao Consulting Group, as well as the National University of Lao PDR. Special thanks go to Dr Vatthanamixay Chansomphou, Professor at Faculty of Environmental Sciences. Funding for the ASA was gratefully provided by the Korean Green Growth Trust Fund (KGGTF) and PROBLUE, a multi-donor trust fund administered by the World Bank, which was complemented by World Bank operating budget. The team thanks Cath Croxton for compiling and editing this report, and Saengkeo Touttavong for the design. v Abbreviations ADB Asian Development Bank ASA Advisory Services and Analytics CCAC Climate and Clean Air Coalition CCS Climate Change Strategy GDP Gross Domestic Product GoL Government of the Lao PDR JICA Japanese International Cooperation Agency IEC Information, education, and communication KGGTF Korea Green Growth Trust Fund KPCOMS Kaysone Phomvihane City Office of Management and Services KPI Key performance indicators Lao PDR Lao People’s Democratic Republic LPCOS Luang Prabang City Office for Services MAF Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry MOIC Ministry of Industry and Commerce MOH Ministry of Health MONRE Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment MPWT Ministry of Public Works and Transport NAPA National Adaptation Programmes of Action NIR Near infra-red NPAP National Plastic Action Plan NGGS National Green Growth Strategy 2030 NSEDP National Socio-Economic Development Plan UDAA Urban Development and Administration Authority VCOMS Vientiane City Office for Management and Services WHO World Health Organization WIS Waste Information System Plastic Polymers SUP Single-use plastic MUP Multiple-use plastic EPS Expanded polystyrene HDPE High-density polyethylene LDPE Low-density polyethylene PET Polyethylene terephthalate PP Polypropylene PS Polystyrene PVC Polyvinyl chloride XPS Extruded polystyrene PLASTIC 95% OF PLASTIC POLLUTION COMES FROM ONLY 10 SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS 45% OF SINGLE-USE PLASTICS WASTE COMES FROM FOOD AND DRINK 173 KILOTONS of pl stic products import d v r r! 1 MILLION tons w st p r rSolid nd W st in th PLASTIC WASTE nd RISING import d for proc ssin 15-25% Curr nt is on th ris In 2019, ros from 7,800 of w st is to 98,500 PLASTIC 50% n r r st ur nts, c f s, nd b rs PLASTIC BURNED nd HOTSPOTS BURIED Common ILLEGAL DUMPING Wors in Common tourist r s REDUCE IMPROVE th us of sin l -us th m n m nt of solid pl stic nd pl stic w st LEAKAGE BOTTLE, CAPS AND LIDS 45% BAGS 23% HOUSEHOLDS CONTAINERS AND FOAM PACKAGING 12% CUPS AND LIDS 6% INDUSTRY VIENTIANE OVER BUSINESSES 350,000 d Pl stic TONS IN 2020 h L o PDR NEW pl stic w st ch ll n St tus 50% of urb n w st is ORGANICS COVID-19 LANDFILL SITES RECYCLING Op n dumpsit s Inform l nd old CHANGE INTRODUCE St k hold r A circul r w st b h viour conom 1 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR 1 Background The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (the Lao PDR) economy has been growing fast in recent decades. Between 1990 and 2019 gross domestic product (GDP) increased by an average annual rate of 6.8 percent and the tourism industry has been a big contributor.1 This good news story has brought many benefits including a noticeable reduction in poverty, and improvements to health and education outcomes.2 However, it has also led to rapid urbanization and the accompanying environmental impacts this brings. Waste pollution, especially plastic waste, is a particular issue causing serious environmental, economic and health hazards in the Lao PDR. It is crucial that the country addresses this issue to protect the benefits already achieved and to make sure that future growth drives a greener economy that benefits both the people and the environment. Recognizing the challenges caused by urbanization, in 2019 the Government of the Lao PDR (GoL) approved a National Green Growth Strategy 2030 (NGGS).3 This strategy is designed to foster economic growth whilst transitioning towards a greener economy that builds human and natural capital, protects the environment, and creates green jobs. It also builds on the country’s 9th Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan 2021-2025 (9th NSEDP). The management of solid and plastic waste is an important component of this strategy. The World Bank and the GoL have a strong working relationship going back many years and, amongst other things, are working together on promoting Green Growth in the country.4 The Bank is supporting the GoL to generate and convene knowledge that informs the implementation of the Lao PDR’s green growth transition and helping the country build natural and human capital from better management of pollution, waste, and natural resources. The GoL, through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), has requested support from the World Bank for addressing its solid and plastic waste problems, including the development of a National Plastic Action Plan (NPAP) and other potential solid waste management investments. Plastics and solid waste diagnostics were carried out by the Bank in 2020 to increase the understanding of plastics pollution and the status of solid and plastic waste management in the Lao PDR and the challenges faced by the sector to identify opportunities for reducing plastics pollution and priority investments and measures in the sector.5 This work was specifically designed to feed into the development of a National Plastic Action Plan (NPAP), as well as the preparation of a World Bank financed Lao Environmental and Waste Management Project. 1 World Bank Data: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?end=2019&locations=LA&start=1990&view=chart 2  See: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/lao/overview#1 3 See: https://data.opendevelopmentmekong.net/dataset/e7db2aa8-c294-47dc-a2da-aa6e41493a12/resource/861b9f4c-cf6c-413b-aeff-e4f6b9346fd7/ download/final_version_of_national_green_growth_strategy_english_feb_2019_.pdf 4  See: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2017/05/31/lao-pdr-to-adopt-green-growth-with-world-bank-support 5  The three reports which provide the basis for this synthesis report are: 1 World Bank. 2021. Supporting Lao PDR in Development to Improve Solid Waste and Plastic Management—Solid Waste Assessments 2 World Bank. 2021. Supporting Lao PDR in Development of a Plastic Action Plan—Plastic Diagnostics 3 World Bank. 2021. Supporting Lao PDR in Development of a Plastic Action Plan—Plastic Policy Report COVID-19 The impacts of COVID-19 on solid waste management in the Lao PDR have yet to be fully evaluated. However: > Already economic growth is reduced, the recycling market has dropped away, and currently there is no international tourism market. > Single-use plastic consumption is on the rise particularly due to an increase in medical products, personal protective equipment (PPE), and a surge in the use of food takeaways. Source: https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-aggravates- thailands-plastic-waste-crisis/a-53586789 Locals searching the dump in Luang Namtha 3 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR This synthesis document summarizes the findings of this extensive analytical work and provides recommendations for change to support the outcomes of the NGGS, and the 9th NSEDP. The document has been designed as a tool for stakeholders and implementing partners to use for planning and decision-making purposes to reduce plastics pollution and to provide the basis for improving solid waste and plastics management in the country. The report provides: 1 2 The key messages from the A summary of the findings assessment of solid waste from a diagnostic analysis of management at national level plastic pollution in six cities: with a focus on three cities: 1 Vientiane (capital city) 1 Vientiane (capital city) 2 Luang Prabang 2 Luang Prabang 3 Kaysone Phomvihane 3 Kaysone Phomvihane 2 (formerly known as 2 (formerly known as Savannakhet) Savannakhet) 6 4 Pakse, including Pathoumphone 1 1 5 5 Thakhek 6 3 3 Vang Vieng 4 3 4 A roadmap to guide the A description of the investment development of the National opportunities and priority actions Plastic Action Plan and to needed to improve the management adopt suitable plastic policy of plastic and solid waste. measures. OP PO RT UN IT GOALS IES S N GG NS T IO AC 4 2 Solid Waste Management How Much Waste? The rate of waste generation in the Lao PDR has been increasing steadily since 2000 and 2015 data show a sharp increase in waste particularly in Vientiane (see Figure 1). In addition, urban populations create significantly more waste than those in rural areas. Reported waste generation rates vary in cities between 0.7 and 1.4 kilograms per person per day. In rural areas waste generation rates are assumed to be close to the World Bank’s estimate of 0.7 kilograms per person per day. It is estimated that in 2020 the national rate of waste generation was around 910,000 tons per year.6 In addition, annual waste generation is forecast to increase to 1.4 million tons by 2035. However, monitoring and reporting on waste generation is weak in the Lao PDR and this limits the accuracy of any available data.7 8 9 All the cities assessed showed a rise in waste generation. In 2000, Vientiane generated approximately 141,876 tons of waste and by 2015 this had risen to 214,905 tons. According to GGGI (2020), in 2019 Vientiane was producing approximately 1,004 tons of waste per day (366,460 tons per year)—a rise of over 150,000 tons of waste per year.10 Pakse generated 16,967 tons of waste in 2000 and by 2015 it was generating 23,974 tons of waste, a rise of over 7,000 tons per year (see Figure 1). Types of Waste The two largest types of waste in the Lao PDR urban areas are organic materials and plastics. Over 50 percent of the waste generated in the Lao PDR comes from organic materials and the next largest type of waste is plastic (which varies between 16 percent and 24 percent depending on location). Figure 2 presents the results of waste collection surveys collected across three cities.11 The data show varying levels of plastic and organic waste. Vientiane and Kaysone Phomvihane have higher levels of plastic waste at 24 percent and slightly less organic waste at 42 percent. Luang Prabang has much lower levels of plastic waste at eight percent but nearly 70 percent of its waste is organics. 6  World Bank. 2021. Supporting Lao PDR in Development to Improve Solid Waste and Plastic Management—Solid Waste Assessments 7  See: https://datatopics.worldbank.org/what-a-waste/ 8 See: https://enb.iisd.org/events/meeting-climate-and-clean-air-coalition-reduce-short-lived-climate-pollutants-ccac-working; https://report.gggi.org/2018/; http://sdg.iisd.org/events/fourth-regional-3r-forum-in-asia/ 9 GGGI. 2018. Solid Waste Management in Vientiane, Laos, PDR. See: https://www.greengrowthknowledge.org/case-studies/solid-waste-management-vientiane-lao-pdr-situation-assessment-and-opportunities-waste 10  GGGI. 2020. Presentation on Sustainable Solid Waste Management Lao PDR 11  Vientiane (capital city), Luang Prabang, and Kaysone Phomvihane (formerly known as Savannakhet). 5 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR FIGURE 1. SOLID WASTE GENERATION IN SIX CITIES IN THE LAO PDR BETWEEN 2000 AND 2020 400,000 350,000 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 0 Vi nti n C pit l K son Th k k Lu n Pr b n X bur P ks (9 districts) Phomvih n (S v nn kh t) 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 Note: 2020 data is only available for Vientiane and Kaysone Phomvihane; COWI. 2021; GGGI. 2020. FIGURE 2. TYPES OF WASTE COLLECTED L o PDR ( v r of 3 citi s) 2% 52% 7% 15% 4% 4% 16% Vi nti n 2% 42% 9% 16% 5% 2% 24% 1% Lu n Pr b n 4% 39% 36% 10% 2% 8% K son 2% 42% 9% 16% 5% 2% 24% 0 20 40 60 80 100 T xtil Or nics P p r nd c rdbo rd Oth r Gl ss M t l Pl stic Source: CCAC. 201512 ; JICA. 201413 12  See: https://www.waste.ccacoalition.org/sites/default/files/files/vientiane-_city_profile_vientiane_capital_lao.pdf 13  See: https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/12245338.pdf Solid Waste Management 6 Waste Collection Waste collection in the Lao PDR tends to be limited to towns and cities. In 2015, Vientiane produced 214,905 tons of waste but only 40 to 60 percent of this waste found its way into the landfill. In Luang Prabang, 23,927 tons of waste was generated in 2015 and around 80 percent of this waste ended up in the landfill. In Kaysone Phomivane, 39,575 tons of waste was produced in 2015 but less than half of this waste went to the landfill. Waste collection is often limited to urban centers while areas that are far away from city centers or have poor roads are usually not serviced. Waste is collected from restaurants, hotels, and markets more frequently, and some industry entities have their own waste collection and disposal services. Household collection services are often limited by a lack of accessibility, no service contracts, and poor equipment. Households must be contracted in to receive a service, and many do not sign up due to lack of regulation, enforcement capacities or because the service cannot reach them. In Vientiane municipality, only 27 percent of households have a contract with a service provider and in Kaysone Phomvihane city, only 30 percent have a contract. In addition, a lack of equipment or poor equipment maintenance get in the way of providing a reliable service. Recycling and Composting No formal government-organized recycling program exists in the Lao PDR but there is an active recycling industry in some of the cities. This recycling industry tends to focus on the most valuable recyclables such as plastic, steel, copper, aluminum, and glass. No processing of materials takes place except in Vientiane. Collected materials are sorted, separated, and then exported to neighboring countries for treatment and processing. In Vientiane there are more advanced plastic recycling waste facilities that include some type of pre-treatment (such as crushing and the production of pellets). While organic waste makes up approximately half of waste generated, there is no large-scale, centralized composting of municipal solid waste. However, it is commonly known that in rural areas, food waste is frequently used as food for animals and companies are even reported to collect (and, in some cases, even pay) for the collection of such waste. Informal Recycling Sector The informal recycling sector is extremely important to the Lao PDR’s solid waste management system. There are two groups of people involved in the informal waste sector. Those who: 1. Collect from the waste generators This first group run door-to-door collection services of recyclable materials that are usually already clean and separated. They sell these onto buying centers. 2. Waste picking from disposal sites This second group separate out recyclable materials from landfills. These materials are usually soiled and, as such, are sold at much lower rates. 7 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR This sector is unregulated and highly vulnerable. Prices are completely dependent on market fluctuations and recently, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the recycle market has weakened and it is difficult to sell on many recycled materials. This sector needs special attention and planning should consider the vulnerability of those involved in this sector to make sure their livelihoods are protected. Plastics Recycling Plastic recycling is a complex process which involves several steps including crushing or compacting, sorting (manual or automatic), extrusion and manufacture of new products. Plastics can be recycled as: > Flakes—crushed plastic that has not gone through extrusion > Pellets or granules—extruded and enhanced by adding additives or mixing with virgin plastics. The number and type of plastic waste facilities that currently exist in the six surveyed cities in the Lao PDR are presented in Table 1. The table shows: > There are 15 retailers and compacting centers and six of them are in Pakse and four of them in Vang Vieng. > There are nine crushing sites and all of them are in Vientiane. > There are five recycling centers producing pellets and granules and four of them are in Vientiane. > There are only two compacting and crushing sites and both are in Vientiane. TABLE 1. NUMBER AND TYPE OF PLASTIC WASTE FACILITIES Luang Kaysone Vientiane Pakse Thakhek Vang Vieng Total Prabang Phomvihane Retailer/ 2 6 1 1 1 4 15 compacting Crushing 9 0 0 0 0 0 9 Compacting and 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 crushing Recycling (producing pellets/ 4 1 0 0 0 0 5 granule) Sources A B C D E F Source: A Department of Industry and Commerce of Vientiane Capital and interviews with the factories; B-F Interviews at landfills and with traders. Disposal What Happens to Waste? Nationwide, between 35 percent (rural) and 60 percent (urban) of waste generated is collected and disposed of at registered landfills. The remaining waste that is not collected or recycled ends up being burned, buried, or dumped on open land or into waterways (see Figure 3). Solid Waste Management 8 Rubbish dumping in public places What happens to solid and Digging rubbish away from a flooded road plastic waste in the Lao PDR? Garbage dumping site in Northern Laos FIGURE 3. WHAT HAPPENS TO SOLID AND PLASTIC WASTE IN THE LAO PDR? Urb n W st Rur l W st 60% 35% 40% 65% Dump d Buri d Burn d Inform ll r c cl d Coll ct d Non Coll ct d 9 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR Landfills and Transfer Stations Major cities have access to a registered landfill, but usually these landfills are old, unsanitary, operated as open dumpsites, contaminate the environment, and come with severe environmental, health and safety risks.14 Many of them are reaching the end of their lifetime and urgently need to be rehabilitated, extended, or closed and replaced. As a result, they are unable to cope with existing levels of waste disposal let alone future waste disposal demands and increased waste collection rates. Major investment is needed urgently to upgrade or replace these sites and improve the management. Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Thakhek, Kaysone Phomvihane, and Vang Vieng only have one landfill site in each. Vientiane also has a transfer station and Pakse has two landfill sites. The largest landfill is in Vientiane. It is just 32 kilometers outside the city. This landfill and those at Pakse, Luang Prabang and Kaysone Phomvihane, were all designed as sanitary landfills but are now poorly managed and no longer safe. Incoming waste is incorrectly placed and there is no daily covering of waste. In Vang Vieng the landfill is practically an open dump although there are plans to upgrade it with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). However, there are some new landfills already in operation and plans for new landfills and upgrades to existing ones. > In Pakse a new landfill has been established and has started operations. > In Luang Prabang there is land available to extend the capacity of the existing landfill. While it is mountainous, there are plans to develop this with ADB investment. > A new landfill is in the process of being constructed in Thakhek under the Fourth Greater Mekong Subregion Corridor Town Development Project. The new landfill will have three cells, with a capacity of 294,295 cubic meters. > The landfill in Kaysone Phomvihane has been upgraded and is now in operation, including better management and leachate treatment. Some landfill sites are old, insanitary and operated as open dumpsites 14 World Bank. 2021. Supporting Lao PDR in Development to Improve Solid Waste and Plastic Management—Solid Waste Assessments; Field assessments. Solid Waste Management 10 The Institutions and Stakeholders Government At national level, the two key bodies responsible for solid waste management are: 1. the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) 2. the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) The MONRE was set up in 2011 and its role is to govern and manage issues related to natural resources and the environment.15 16 The Ministry develops and implements laws, resolutions, and decrees, develops guidelines, policies, strategies and plans and raises awareness on environmental protection, including on solid waste. Within MONRE, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Inspection (formerly Department of Pollution Control and Monitoring) is the key body that coordinates solid waste management. The MPWT is responsible for the construction and inspection of water and sanitation across the country. It also provides technical guidance and advice on the installation of waste disposal sites such as landfills and transfer stations. Other key government stakeholders in the solid waste sector include: 3. Ministry of Health (MOH) 4. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) 5. Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC). Operations of solid waste collection services and management of infrastructure such as landfills and transfer stations are the responsibility of Urban Development and Administration Authorities (UDAAs) in provincial and city administrator offices. The names of these UDAAs vary from province to province. In the three cities reviewed here, they are called: > Vientiane City Office for Management and Services (VCOMS) > Luang Prabang City Office for Services (LPCOS) > Kaysone Phomvihane City Office of Management and Service (KPCOMS). Private collection companies also play an important role in collecting and managing waste. For example, in Vientiane there are 10 private collection companies and two public organizations working under supervision and contract of VCOMS. However, they are not all the same size. VCOMS’ own unit is the largest collector. It has 65 vehicles and provides services to 187 villages in seven districts. 15 GGGI. 2018. Solid Waste Management in Vientiane, Laos, PDR. See: https://www.greengrowthknowledge.org/case-studies/solid-waste-management- vientiane-lao-pdr-situation-assessment-and-opportunities-waste 16  See: http://www.monre.gov.la/home/index.php/2018-07-09-15-05-58 11 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR Policies and Legislation Few specific policies and strategies exist for solid waste management either at national or local level. However, there are policy documents that focus on managing the environment—and solid waste management is an important component of this. The most recent strategic document that guides the overall development policy in the Lao PDR is the 9th Five-Year NSEDP 2021-2025. It emphasizes the need for integrating sustainable development into national planning processes. Other key documents are the National Green Growth Strategy (2019), the National Pollution Control Strategy and Action Plan (2017) and the National Environmental Strategy (2020). In addition to these strategy documents, there are further legislation and policy documents under development (see Table 2 for details). TABLE 2. LEGISLATION AND POLICY UNDER DEVELOPMENT Responsible Government Name Further Information Department Decree on Solid Waste Management MONRE Drafting has not yet started17 Sets out the principles, regulations, and measures for urban waste management activities. Its aim is to promote storage Decree on Municipal Solid Waste MPWT services and organize waste in a systematic Management and hygienic manner across the country. The draft decree applies to general urban solid waste management nationwide Technical Guidelines on Solid Waste MONRE Management in the Lao PDR 2020 This document presents a vision, six 10-year Roadmap for Solid Waste VCOMS strategic outcomes, medium and long-term Management Vision and Strategy 2030 targets, and associated workplans. Sustainable Solid Waste Management VCOMS Strategy and Action plan for Vientiane The waste sector is controlled by a variety of regulations. These include the Decree on National Environmental Standards (2017), the Environmental Protection Law (2012), the Regulation on Landfill Site Management (2007), and the Law on Industrial Waste Discharge (1994). However, it is the responsibility of local administration offices to implement this legislation, including UDAAs. Table 3 provides an overview of the relevant legislation. How is Solid Waste Management Financed? In general, collection services are provided to businesses and households who sign up to a contract with a service provider. In most cities, the largest (sometimes only) service provider is a public company under UDAAs, and in some cities private companies are given licenses by UDAAs for waste collection in designated areas. Services fees are collected by city authorities or private operators directly from the waste generator upon waste collection. Household fees typically vary between US$ 2-4 per month. Gate fees at landfills are between US$ 4-6 per ton and are collected by UDAAs from waste service providers. 17  Direct information from MONRE, March 2021 Solid Waste Management 12 However, due to a lack of capacity to enforce payments, many households do not enter contracts with waste service providers. In Vientiane municipality, only 27 percent of households have a contract with a service provider and in Kaysone Phomvihane city, only 30 percent have a contract. This results in collections being limited to areas with higher payment rates and some households being served without payment. It also results in waste collection being primarily financed by fee collections from businesses and institutions. Subsidies and budgets for solid waste management are very limited and operations are mostly funded by fees paid by customers. Infrastructure construction is often financed by the donor community. TABLE 3. OVERVIEW OF LEGISLATION RELEVANT TO SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT Year Law/Regulation Purpose 2021 Ministerial Decision on Pollution Control Includes direction on the management of solid waste. Decree for National Env. Standards Determines parameters and levels of pollutant concentrations emitted 2017 (81/GOV) to air, or discharge to soil and water. Ministerial Instructions on Hazardous Hazardous waste classification and requirements for the import, export, 2015 Waste (0744/MONRE) transfer, storage, use, recycling, and disposal of hazardous waste. Defines principles, regulations and measures related to environmental 2012 Law on Environment Protection (EPL) protection. Decree on Environment Impact Lays down principles, rules and measures on the establishment, 2010 Assessment (112/PM) functions, management and monitoring of environmental impacts. Decree on Disposal Site Management 2007 Regulates site selection and design of disposal sites. (520/TCPC) Prescribes collection and handling healthcare waste, including Decree on Waste Management from 2004 separation into three fractions (infectious, sharps and general) and Health Care Facilities (1706/MOH) requirements on storage. Law on National Hygiene, Healthcare Defines responsibilities of the MOH for hygiene, incl. waste 2001 and Protection management in buildings and public spaces. Determines principles, regulations, and measures regarding the 1999 Urban Planning Law (UPL) management and use of land, construction, and building. Decrees on the Organization and Defines org. structure and operational responsibilities of UDAAs. City 1997- Activities of UDAAs (177/PM and officials mainly refer to the PM Decrees 177 and 141 regarding their 1999 141/PM) responsibilities in waste management. Industrial Waste Discharge Regulation Manages hazards caused by the discharge of wastewater and waste 1994 (180/MOIC) that may harm water quality and the citizens’ health. Plastics Production, Import and Export Plastic waste in the Lao PDR is generated by consumption of imported plastic products and locally manufactured plastic products. Since China banned the import of plastic waste for processing in 201818, the amount of plastic waste imported into the Lao PDR for processing has substantially increased. In 2019 alone, the amount of imported plastic waste rose from 7,800 to 100,000 tons (see Figure 4). Yet, the country does not have the capacity to process this waste and there is a major concern this will intensify the already existing waste pollution problem. The GoL has responded to this challenge by banning the creation of new plastic waste processing plants.19 However, they acknowledge that the amount of plastic waste imported into the Lao PDR for processing is likely to continue increasing.20 18  See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%27s_waste_import_ban 19  GoL. July 2019. Order-Suspension of Plastic Waste Recycling Plants. Order Ref: 0930/MOIC.DoIH 20 See: https://www.env.go.jp/en/recycle/asian_net/Annual_Workshops/2020_PDF/Presentations/8_Lao%20PDR_ANWS2020.pdf 13 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR FIGURE 4. IMPORT OF PLASTIC WASTE INTO THE LAO PDR IN TONS 120000 98,533 100000 80000 60000 40000 20000 7,881 1,256 1,181 3,909 0 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 In 2018 at least 173 kilotons of plastic products and products with plastic packaging were imported to the Lao PDR. These imports mostly came from China, Thailand, and Vietnam but increasingly plastic products are being imported from Japan and European markets. Secondary materials to produce plastic products are also imported into the Lao PDR for the local plastic production industry. In the Lao PDR, there are at least 17 plastic production facilities with an annual production capacity of approximately 51,000 tons. They produce a range of products for both national consumption and for export. Some local plastic waste is collected and processed in the Lao PDR and exported to Thailand and China for recycling. It is mostly exported as plastic bags or plastic pellets to be used for plastic production in that country. Table 4 shows the import and export figures for plastic between 2015 and 2019. TABLE 4. IMPORT AND EXPORT OF PLASTIC INTO THE LAO PDR IN TONS 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Source Import of plastic waste 1,256 1,181 3,909 7,881 98,533 UN Comtrade Export of plastic waste 862 1,919 1,353 822 1,833 Import of secondary raw Raw data from Department 5,092 452 1,064 143 1,543 of Custom at Ministry of plastic materials Finance. Data summarised Export of secondary raw by department of import and 4,537 657 4,585 1,557 4,903 export at Ministry of Industry plastic materials and Commerce 14 3 Environmental, Health and Economic Impacts Environment Plastic waste is found everywhere including in soil, rivers, and the sea. Birds, fish, and mammals get entangled in it and animals ingest it. There is a risk from chemical toxicity from additives in the plastic that is ingested. In addition, species such as microorganisms, weed, or invertebrates can grow or adhere to larger pieces of plastic waste which are then transported longer distances, thus introducing new species into different environments.21 22 A recent study in the That Luang marsh showed high levels of microplastic in fish, surface water, and sediment.23 The freshwater wetland in Vientiane functions as a natural biological wastewater treatment connecting water channels of Vientiane to the Mekong River via Huay Mark Hiao water canal. Nearly 50 percent of sediment samples contained microplastic. Twenty four percent of fish samples and 27 percent of surface water samples also contained microplastic. The plastic polymer found in these samples was polyamide—a plastic that is found in cloth, tires, fishing gear and other plastic wearables (see Figure 5). FIGURE 5. PERCENTAGE OF SAMPLES FROM THAT LUANG MARSH CONTAINING MICROPLASTIC 27% surf c w t r s mpl s 24% fish s mpl s 49% s dim nt s mpl s Source: InsideLaos. 202024 21  Werner et al. 2016. Harm Caused by Marine Litter. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315386479_Harm_caused_by_Marine_Litter 22  González et al. 2016. Riverine Litter Monitoring. https://op.europa.eu/s/syhB 23 See: https://insidelaos.com/2020/09/11/30399/ 24  See: https://insidelaos.com/2020/09/11/30399/ 15 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR Health Poor management of solid and plastic waste is a potential health hazard: > Open burning of plastic waste sends toxic smoke into the air. > Poorly managed landfills often catch fire and send toxic smoke into the air.25 > Poorly managed landfills can result in harmful leachate that can contaminate groundwater. > Informal waste pickers who have no protection are at risk of being exposed to toxic chemicals. Vongdala et al. (2018) found that the pollution in landfill soils and their vicinity had reached eco-toxicological risk levels.26 They also found that samples of Ipomoea aquatica (a vegetable consumed by the nearby villagers, was seriously contaminated by chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). The levels of these toxic heavy metals were much higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. It recommended the landfill should be urgently rehabilitated through phytoremediation technologies. Livelihoods > Fishery—Most of the fisherfolk interviewed claimed that they always caught plastic waste debris in their nets and that dealing with this gave them less time to catch fish. > Reduced tourism—Plastic and solid waste on streets and on riverbanks gives a negative impression. This could impact on the Lao PDR’s reputation and potentially reduce the numbers of visitors, which, in turn, would negatively impact on the economy both locally and nationally. > Increased costs in waste management—Higher waste amounts to collect; increased street sweeping and landfills filling up more quickly. > Flooding—Plastic pollution blocks drains and sewers in urban areas which damages the economy and can threaten health.27 25  In recent years, landfill fires caused respiratory problems for people living nearby. 26 Vongdala. 2018. Heavy Metal Accumulation in Water, Soil, and Plants of Municipal Solid Waste Landfill in Vientiane, Lao PDR. See: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/1/22 27  See: https://www.who.int/laos/news/detail/23-08-2019-who-and-partners-helping-lao-pdr-build-a-climate-resilient-health-system 16 4 Plastic Pollution Key Findings Quick win Only 10 single-use plastic items cause 95 percent of plastic pollution in the country. Reduce single-use plastics and achieve a major reduction in waste amounts and plastics pollution! Findings > Consumption of single-use plastics is rapidly increasing in the Lao PDR and particularly in urban areas. > Large amounts of single-use plastics are uncollected and are either burned or openly dumped or end up in waterways. > 95 percent of plastic pollution in the Lao PDR is caused by 10 plastic items—all of which are single-use plastics. > The most common items are drinking bottles, bottle caps and rings, plastic bags including shopping bags, cups and their lids, food containers, foam packaging and straws. > Food and drink packaging is the biggest type of plastic pollution. > Most plastic bottles can be recycled. > Restaurants, cafes and bars, and tourist activity are linked to plastic pollution hotspots. > Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) are the top three types of plastic polymers of leaked plastics. > In 2018, at least 173 kilotons of plastic products and products with plastic packaging were imported into the Lao PDR. This is 40 kilograms of plastic per person per year. Less single-use plastic results in less plastic pollution Plastic bottle in the ocean sea water 17 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR Reliable statistics on the amount and types of plastic in the Lao PDR and its rivers are lacking. In addition, it is known that plastic pollution creates a less favorable environment for business, tourism, and human health. A sound understanding of the problem is essential to develop effective plastic policies, measures, and investments needed to tackle this issue. Following a request by the GoL and the MONRE to support the development of an NPAP, an assessment of the current state of plastic pollution in the Lao PDR was commissioned. The analysis determined the extent of plastic pollution, what drives it and what were the key items that caused the pollution. The plastic diagnostic was carried out in six cities28 in the Lao PDR (although some activities focused on the whole country). Activities included: > Identifying the major types of plastic waste that leak into the environment > Identifying the locations of plastic pollution hotspots along Mekong River and tributaries > Reporting on plastic and plastic waste imports and exports > Identifying the impacts of plastic pollution > Reporting on the status of the recycling industry. There are many sources of plastic waste, especially at sites where plastic is consumed and throughout the solid waste management chain. Figure 6 presents a material flow analysis of plastic waste and how it escapes into the environment. The sources of plastic leaks come from three main routes: 1. the production of plastic 2. the consumption of plastic 3. the management of plastic waste. FIGURE 6. HOW DOES PLASTIC WASTE ESCAPE INTO THE RIVERINE ENVIRONMENT? Production of pl stic r w Consumption of Pl stic w st m t ri ls nd products pl stics m n m nt Tr nsport tion Uncoll ct d w st Ov rflowin cont in rs F ciliti s Str t litt rin Coll ction B ch nd riv r b nk litt rin Tr nsport tion R st ur nts Dump sit s Tourist r s Tr nsf r st tion L ndfill R c clin f ciliti s L k to th riv rin nvironm nt 28  Vientiane (capital city), Kaysone Phomvihane (formerly known as Savannakhet), Pakse, Luang Prabang, Thakhek, and Vang Vieng. Plastic Pollution 18 Top 10 Plastic Items Most plastic pollution is caused by just a few types of plastic. Decision makers need to know what these types of plastic are so they can focus their interventions on removing these items. This will have the biggest impact on plastic pollution by significantly reducing plastic waste. To identify these types of plastic, a diagnostic assessment was done across the country and in six cities 29 (see Figure 7). It used a variety of land- and riverine-based studies and tools, including analyzing the plastic waste collected in net traps on rivers, from boats, at artificial barriers, and from visual observations. It also involved data analysis and stakeholder interviews on multiple aspects of plastics pollution, collection, and management. FIGURE 7. DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT SITES 1 Vientiane (capital city) 2 Luang Prabang 3 Kaysone Phomvihane (formerly known as Savannakhet) 4 Pakse Myanmar 5 Thakhek Laos 6 2 Vang Vieng 6 Vietnam 1 5 3 Thailand 4 29 Vientiane (capital city), Kaysone Phomvihane (formerly known as Savannakhet), Pakse including Pathoumphone, Luang Prabang, Thakhek, and Vang Vieng. 19 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR The Top 10 items are all single-use plastics and were responsible for 95% of plastic pollution in the surveyed locations. Plastic bottles and their caps and lids accounted for most plastic leakage in the Lao PDR (45 percent of plastic waste).30 Plastic bags were the next most common type of waste (23 percent), and cups and lids followed next (11 percent). Figure 8 shows the Top 10 plastic product items. FIGURE 8. NUMBER OF PLASTIC PRODUCT ITEMS Top 10 Pl stic Product It ms B v r bottl s 24% Pl stic c ps nd lids 21% Shoppin b s 12% Oth r b s 11% Cups nd lids 11% Fo m p ckin /insul tion 6% Food cont in rs 6% Pl stic pi c s b tw n 4% 2.5cm – 50cm Str ws nd stirr rs 3% Cl n r bottl s/cont in rs 2% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% Single-use food and drink packaging is the top plastic product category. Nearly 50 percent of plastic items by number relate to the food and drink industry and household products are next. By weight, both food and drink packaging and household products were very similar (see Table 5). TABLE 5. PRODUCT TYPES Product Type No. of items Kg % Food and drink packaging 3,892 45.3 45 Household products 1,541 41.2 41 Other packaging 539 8.3 8 Personal care products 116 2.8 3 Fishing gear 37 3.8 4 Smoking materials 1 0.0 0 Total 6,126 101.4 100 The percentage of the top 10 plastic items were similar at all the six sites. Across the cities, plastic bottles accounted for between 12 to 24 percent of plastic waste and the top five products items accounted for at least 80 percent of plastic waste. However, in Vang Vieng, there was a much higher number of plastic bottles found accounting for nearly 40 percent of its plastic pollution. This might be explained by the city’s high number of tourists. 30  It should be noted that 39 percent of the bottles are small—less than 500 millilitres. Plastic Pollution 20 Plastic Pollution Hotspots All six cities31 had a high number of plastic pollution hotspots. These included open dumps on the street and on riversides, and uncontrolled landfills. The inadequate disposal of waste is one of the main causes of plastic pollution hotspots. The two key contributors to plastic hotspots are: 1. Restaurants, bars, and cafés—Over 50 percent of hotspots were near these outlets (see Table 6). 2. Tourists—Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang had much higher numbers of hotspots per 100,000 inhabitants than the other cities. This may be due to the higher numbers of tourists who visit these cities (see Figure 9). TABLE 6. NUMBERS AND TYPES OF PLASTIC POLLUTION HOTSPOTS Area type of plastic pollution hotspot Nr of hotspots (informal dumpsites) Restaurants, bars, and cafés 304 Hostels, hotels, and similar 143 Markets, shops, and offices 19 Religious and tourist venues such as temple and monuments 73 Nature, parks, caves, and other recreation sites 34 Hospital, schools, universities, and bus stations 16 Industry such as factories and fish farms 8 Total 597 FIGURE 9. NUMBER OF HOTSPOTS PER 100,000 V n Vi n K son Phomvih n Th kh k Lu n Pr b n P ks Vi nti n Tot l 0 50 100 150 200 250 The results of the riverine survey are described on an ArcGIS database. Figure 10 shows the locations of plastic hotspots in Vientiane. The figure clearly demonstrates the high frequency of informal dumpsites and hotspots caused by restaurants and hotels all along the Mekong River. 31  Vientiane (capital city), Kaysone Phomvihane (formerly known as Savannakhet), Pakse, Luang Prabang, Thakhek, and Vang Vieng. 21 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR FIGURE 10. HOTSPOTS IN VIENTIANE To explore this map in further detail and for six other surveys cities, go to: https://bit.ly/3iokodu Click on the top right-hand side of the map on this symbol to see the different data layers. Informal Dumpsites Open and informal dumping occur on land and on riverbanks. Across the six surveyed cities there were 149 dumpsites observed. The size of dumpsites varied but on average they were seven cubic meters. More than 50 percent of dumpsites were located inland, and these tended to be much bigger in size (see Table 7). People living near these informal dumpsites were interviewed during the surveys. They stated that waste from informal dumpsites was not collected and that it was occasionally burned. They also stated that waste on dumpsites near rivers was either burned or simply left to be washed away into the river during rainy season. Assessment on Recyclability and Alternatives Polymer Types Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) are the most common plastic polymer types (see Figure 11). Plastic Pollution 22 TABLE 7. NUMBERS AND SIZE OF INFORMAL DUMPSITES NEAR RIVERS AND INLAND Dumpsites near Rivers Dumpsites Inland Total, all Dumpsites Total no. of sites 61 88 149 No. of sites 7 30 37 Vientiane Approximate m³ 32 286 318 Estimated tons 2 20 22 No. of sites 6 11 17 Pakse Approximate m³ 107 198 305 Estimated tons 7 14 21 Luang No. of sites 16 10 26 Prabang Approximate m³ 20 24 44 Estimated tons 1 2 3 Thakhek No. of sites 13 23 36 Approximate m³ 34 146 180 Estimated tons 2 10 13 Kaysone No. of sites 7 11 18 Phomvihane Approximate m³ 12 177 189 Estimated tons 1 12 13 No. of sites 12 3 15 Vang Vieng Approximate m³ 19 12 31 Estimated tons 1 1 2 Total m³ 224 843 1,067 Total tons 16 59 75 FIGURE 11. PLASTIC POLYMER TYPES Pl stic Pol m r b Pl stic Pol m r b Numb r of it ms Found W i ht 1% 7% 5% 6% 8% 24% 5% 32% 36% 26% 43% 7% 0% 0% PET HDPE PVC LDPE PP PS Oth r Pl stic 23 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR What are the Alternatives? When developing plastic policies, it is key to consider the availability of suitable alternative materials. Single- use plastics can only be phased out if good alternatives are widely available on the market. A market survey on alternative products in the Lao PDR was carried out. Table 9 shows the alternative materials that can be used instead of plastic, whether they are reusable, and their current availability in the Lao PDR. While for some single-use plastics other single-use alternatives exist, in line with the Government’s Green Growth strategy and promotion of circular economy, the overall focus should be on reducing waste amounts by promoting reusable products. PET is easy to recycle, has a high value, and drinking bottles are made from PET. In addition, there is a well-developed international recycling market for PET. In the Lao PDR, traders will give around 700-1,400 Kip per kilogram of water bottles and can sell them again for 1,000-1,600 Kip per kilogram. However, other key products have much lower recycling values. It also must be noted that despite their relatively high value, PET bottles is the number one item leaking into the environment. Table 8 shows an assessment of the common plastic product types, how easy they are to recycle and how valuable they are as a recycled product. TABLE 8. RECYCLABILITY AND VALUE OF PLASTIC PRODUCT ITEMS Polymer Typical Product Items Recyclability Value PET Drinking bottles High High HDPE Caps, lids, cleaning bottles Medium Medium LDPE Bags, wrapping, packaging Low Low PS Food containers, insulation Very low No value (incl. EPS/XPS) PP Cups, cutlery, straws, shoes, toys Medium Medium Other plastic Other products Very low Possible value as refuse derived fuel TABLE 9. ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS TO PLASTIC Typical Product Items Alternatives Functionality Current Availability in the Lao PDR Drinking bottles and caps, Glass Reusable Readily available (imported) lids, and rings Aluminum Reusable Readily available (imported) Paper Single use Unknown Bags, wrapping, packaging Textile Reusable Readily available (local) Rattan Reusable Readily available (local) Paper Single use Readily available (local) Paper box Single use Readily available (local) Food containers, insulation Aluminum Single use Readily available (imported) Stainless steel Reusable Readily available Cups and lids Paper Single use Readily available (local) Aluminum Reusable Niche product available (imported) Straws Bamboo Reusable Niche product—not widely available Rice Single use Low availability (imported) 24 5 Roadmap towards a National Plastics Action Plan (NPAP) In line with its commitment to act on plastic pollution in the Lao PDR, the MONRE asked the World Bank to support the development of an NPAP. In addition to building an analysis of plastic pollution, an assessment was done on the potential plastic policy measures needed to clean up the Lao PDR and how to implement a new approach to managing waste that is climate- and environmentally friendly and encourages sustainable growth— that is moving from a linear to a circular economy.32 Transitioning from a Linear to Circular Economy The development of an NPAP should consider how integrating a circular economy approach will feed into the objectives of the NGGS 2030. This strategy supports the transition from a linear to circular economy which in turn will encourage sustainable growth, build The Circular Economy a low carbon and climate resilient economy, create The circular economy is a sustainable decent jobs, while also making the environment safer, alternative to the traditional linear healthier, and cleaner.33 (take-make-dispose) economic model. It reduces waste to a minimum The transition requires that all actors along the by reusing, repairing, refurbishing, value chain of a product change their behavior and and recycling existing materials practice. This change needs to happen at every stage and products. of the chain including research and development, design and material selection, manufacturing, As a result, less waste is created, transport and distribution, and usage and end-of-life aspects of environmental degradation management. Reducing consumption for the priority are addressed while also building new plastic products is one of the most crucial and most economic opportunities and resilience. effective measures in this transition. Plastic Policy Roadmap The GoL and the World Bank are working together on a 10-step roadmap to guide the development of the NPAP and to adopt suitable plastic policy measures. Some of the activities have now been completed through the research and development of this report. See Figure 12 for the key outputs of the roadmap. 32 See: https://www.switchtogreen.eu/switch-value-chains/ 33 See: https://www.switchtogreen.eu/switch-value-chains/ 25 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR FIGURE 12. PLASTIC POLICY ROADMAP Id ntif nd promot th Id ntif th priorit d v lopm nt suit bl lt rn tiv s for th pl stic products priorit sin l -us pl stic products 1 2 A b s lin ss ssm nt, An ction pl n, with n ov rvi w of includin list of th most suit bl lt rn tiv s, with for ch D t rmin polic dir ction: probl m tic pl stic products s t of ctions to promot th ir polic obj ctiv s nd 3 d v lopm nt nd v il bilit uidin principl s A list of priorit polic Id ntif polic m sur s with obj ctiv s nd th ir pot nti l to r duc sin l -us justific tion, nd of uidin Ass ss nd propos pl stic consumption nd pollution w st m n m nt principl s pot nti l polic m sur s 5 4 Involv th st k hold rs in th An ss ssm nt r port, A short-list of polic ss ssm nt nd s l ction with n ss ssm nt of ll m sur s with hi h pot nti l of polic m sur s polic m sur s on th short-list A st k hold r 6 consult tion docum nt (which willb b s d on th S l ct, dopt, nd R is public w r n ss on th ss ssm nt r port) impl m nt n ppropri t priorit sin l -us pl stic nd mix of polic m sur s th polic m sur s 7 8 Polic m sur impl m nt tion An Inform tion, Educ tion nd pl n nd Dr ft L isl tion Communic tion (IEC) str t Ensur compli nc with th polic Monitor, v lu t nd djust 9 m sur s A compli nc polic m sur s s n d d nd ssur nc str t upd t th public on pro r ss 10 An v lu tion r port nd litt r surv r port Policy Measures Policy measures drive change. The right measures can drive the behavior changes needed to reduce plastic pollution by limiting the consumption of priority single-use plastics. These plastics are responsible for most plastic pollution. There are four types of measures that reduce plastics pollution and consumption: 1. Regulatory change supported by enforcement 2. Economic incentives 3. Information and awareness building 4. Voluntary approaches and agreements. Policy measures need to consider: (1) the waste hierarchy (see Figure 13); (2) strategies on promoting a more circular economy; (3) the Polluter Pays Principle—those responsible for the waste pollution must pay; and (3) the Extended Producer Responsibility—those responsible for creating the products that cause the waste must pay. Measures must also specify which plastic item, type, and polymer it is targeting. Roadmap towards a National Plastics Action Plan (NPAP) 26 FIGURE 13. WASTE HIERARCHY—MOVING FROM DISPOSAL TO PREVENTION Most Pr f rr d Pr v ntion R duction R c clin R cov r Dispos l L st Pr f rr d Source: See: https://techrecycle.london/the-waste-hierarchy/ Regulation and Enforcement Regulation and enforcement are often referred to as the “command and control” approach. It is the most efficient way to implement change. Examples include product bans, mandatory use of alternatives, and product design standards. They involve direct regulation and credible enforcement. Economic Economic instruments provide incentives for change. Examples include taxes on specific product types, subsidies and ‘polluter must pay’ schemes. Information and Awareness Building Understanding what the problem is and how to solve it can change the behavior of those involved including consumers and industry. Information, education, and communication campaigns will support this as will providing technical assistance to build the capacity of business to comply with new regulations and enforcement measures. Voluntary Stakeholders need to be committed to making the changes needed to address the problem. Voluntary instruments include public-private sector partnerships and collaborations, deposit refund systems, and environmental labelling. 27 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR Priority Plastic Items Policy decision making also needs to know which type of single-use plastics to prioritize. The survey identified the most common type of single-use plastic and sorted them into four categories based on how they are used (see Table 10): 1. Serving, consuming, or transporting drinks 2. Transporting shopping and products 3. Servicing, consuming, or transporting prepared or raw food 4. Single portion packs for food. These plastic items: > Are responsible for a majority of plastics pollution in the Lao PDR34 > Are non-essential and there are good alternatives available on the market > Are already being regulated against internationally and results are positive. Priority Stakeholders The food and drink sector creates the most plastic pollution and should be a priority target group. Changing behavior in how this sector uses single-use plastic will have the biggest impact on plastic waste. Consumers Consumers play a key role as their choices drive the design of the products on offer. In addition, their behavior has an impact on littering. Building consumer awareness will reduce littering, reduce consumption, and support the circular economy. Vendors Retailers, the hospitality industry, and food delivery companies are the three key types of vendors that need to be targeted. Retailers are the consumer-facing part of the supply chain. The hospitality industry plays a big role in the tourism industry.35 34  See Figure 28. World Bank. 2021. Supporting Lao PDR in Development of a Plastic Action Plan—Plastic Diagnostics 35 Food delivery companies are an industry that has exponentially expanded over recent years introducing an immense of single-use plastic into the market, especially in the Asian Pacific region. See: https://blog.euromonitor.com/food-delivery-race-heats-up-in-asia-pacific/ Roadmap towards a National Plastics Action Plan (NPAP) 28 TABLE 10. PROPOSED LIST OF PRIORITY SINGLE-USE PLASTICS Single-Use Plastic Description of Single-Use Plastic Typical Polymer Serving, Consuming, or Transporting Drinks (Beverage Service Disposables) Beverage bottles PET Cups Plastic lined paper, EPS, PET, PS Drinking straws PP Stirrers PP Transporting Goods PP Lightweight carrier bags36 Serving, Consuming, or Transporting Prepared and Raw Food (Food Service Disposables) Food containers EPS/XPS Dinnerware37 PS Cutlery PS Portion Control Packaging for Food and Toiletries Single portion packs (such as food, PE, PP soaps, toothpaste) 36  Plastic bags for hygiene purposes and multiple-reuse plastic bags are excluded. 37  Food trays used in non-take-away situations are excluded (such as food trays in supermarkets that display and contain meat or fish). 29 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR Priority Plastic Policies The types of policy measures above were assessed in detail to ensure they would work in practice as part of supporting the MONRE’s development of an effective NPAP. This included looking at: (1) potential target products; (2) the roles and responsibilities of government and stakeholders; (3) the target groups; (4) the timeframes for implementation; (5) the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts; (6) international experience; (7) enabling conditions; and (8) local capacity. In consultation with the MONRE, this assessment was used to develop a set of high potential policy measures.38 The following factors were considered when developing this list. These included focusing on: > A few selected priority plastic items that cause the majority of pollution > Non-essential items or items where good alternatives exist > The feasibility of implementation > The least disruptive measures > Short-term policy options such as bans, usage restrictions, fees, and public awareness > Priority sectors such as tourism and hospitality, in which many policy instruments are considered most feasible and effective in the short-term > Short-term measures that are simple, low-cost, and need minimal capacity > A phased introduction of measures, starting with ‘quick wins’ and expand policy measures over time building on previous success. Each high potential policy measure was then aligned against three criteria: 1. Target products 2. Target stakeholders (that is the stakeholders that need to take action to implement or to comply with the measure) 3. Timeframe. The resulting set of high potential plastic policy measures is intended to provide orientation and guidance in identifying the most suitable policy instruments and is designed as an iterative working document to support the development of an NPAP (see Table 11). 38  World Bank. 2021. Supporting Lao PDR in Development of a Plastic Action Plan—Plastic Policy Report Roadmap towards a National Plastics Action Plan (NPAP) 30 High Potential Plastic Policy Measures TABLE 11. HIGH POTENTIAL PLASTIC POLICY MEASURES Policy Measures Target Products Target Stakeholders Timeframe Regulatory Measures Product bans Lightweight plastic bags 1st phase: chain retailers Short-term 2nd phase: all retailers Medium-term > Drinking straws All vendors of the SUPs Short-term > Beverage stirrers > All retailers > All accommodation establishments > All food & beverage establishments > All food delivery companies Priority SUPs made of EPS/XPS: All vendors of the priority SUPs Short-term > Food containers > Dinnerware > Cutlery Single-portion packs 1st phase: all chain hotels and Short-term > Pre-portioned, single-portion packs for all-inclusive resorts toiletries (soaps, gels, oils, toothpaste 2nd phase: Independent Medium term etc.), in single-use packaging. accommodation establishments. > Selected pre-portioned, single-portion packs for food in single-use packaging. A ban on on-site > Food containers All vendors of the priority SUPs Short-term consumption (meaning > Dinnerware that the SUPs can only > Cutlery be given out for off-the- > Beverage bottles premises consumption). > Beverage cups A ban in selected In addition to the priority SUPs banned All vendors of the priority SUPs Short-term tourism destinations nationwide (and except beverage bottles, and hotspots which will be covered by a voluntary agreement): > Food containers > Dinnerware > Cutlery > Beverage cups A ban for selected All priority SUPs (Lightweight carrier All vendors of the priority SUPs, Short-term natural, cultural and bags; Food containers; Dinnerware; established on the sites heritage sites. Cutlery; Beverage bottles; Cups; Drinking All visitors to the sites straws; Stirrers; Single-portion packs) Mandatory availability For all priority SUPs which are subjected All vendors of the priority SUPs Short-term of alternatives: SUNPP to either a ban or a levy. (single-use or MUPs products, plastic or otherwise, should be avoided as much as possible) Mandatory All priority SUPs, including those that 1st phase: Short-term reduction plans are banned, as the plans should outline > All chain retailers which alternatives are being promoted > All chain hotels & all-inclusive and used. resorts 31 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR Policy Measures Target Products Target Stakeholders Timeframe Mandatory reduction 2nd phase: Medium-term plans > All chain food & beverage establishments > All institutional catering facilities, with over 50 daily customers (Government canteens, Hospitals, Prisons, Schools etc.) > Industrial catering facilities for businesses with over 25 full- time employees. Product design All priority SUPs All producers (manufacturers, Requires standards (e.g. minimum recycled content; polymer importers, brand owners) of the regional (to improve potential for combinations; labels; colors; additives; priority SUPs standards litter reduction, reuse product design requirements) and recycling) Consumption targets All priority SUPs, except those that are All SUP vendors and consumers Short-term banned Economic Instruments Consumer levy Very lightweight plastic bags 1st phase: chain retailers Short-term 2nd phase: all retailers Medium-term Consumer charge All priority SUPs, except for those for Vendors of the priority SUPs: Short-term (different from a levy, which either a ban or a levy is imposed. chain establishments as the revenues are Note: either bans OR consumer charges Vendors of the priority SUPs: Medium-term retained by the vendor) for specific products can be applied. independent establishments Bans may often be more effective, but for some products consumer charges may be preferred (in the interim) Import/producer/ All SUPs. A tax placed on manufacturers/ Manufacturers/importers/ retail levy importers/retailers for specific products. retailers Note: Double taxation (combination of consumer levy or charge with import/producer/retail levy) should be avoided. Consumer charges are generally considered as more effective, as producer/import levies may only marginally be passed on to the consumer and are less visible. Subsidies (grants, All priority SUPs for which suitable All businesses that develop and Short to incentives in direct and alternatives are not yet widely available distribute suitable alternatives, medium-term indirect taxation in the Lao PDR, for which alternatives meeting the selection e.g. tax deductions; tax are available elsewhere or could be requirements that may be credits; VAT) realistically developed in the short-term. defined by the GoL. Green Public All priority SUPs 1st phase: all national Short-term Procurement government administrations 2nd phase: all local government Medium-term administrations. Roadmap towards a National Plastics Action Plan (NPAP) 32 Policy Measures Target Products Target Stakeholders Timeframe EPR-related measures All priority plastics, which are not covered All producers (manufacturers, (e.g. product-take back by a ban importers, brand owners) of the obligation; importer/ priority SUPs producer levy; financial or organizational responsibility for collection, sorting, recycling, disposal) Information Instruments IEC campaigns All priority SUPs All the vendors and users of the Short-term, (supporting the other SUPs but should measures); not as a continue on stand-alone measure. an ongoing basis Technical Assistance Guidance manuals All priority SUPs All accommodation Short- establishments term, and periodically updated > All food & beverage Medium-term establishments > All food delivery companies Research and All priority SUPs for which suitable Government administrations, Short- to development alternatives are not yet widely available responsible for research, medium- in the Lao PDR, but for which they could development, and innovation. term, and be realistically developed in the short- periodically term. updated Pilot projects All priority SUPs, except those which are Public and private organizations, Short-term subjected to either a ban or a levy. including businesses and community-based organizations Training on producing Lightweight carrier bags Community-based organizations Short-term alternatives to SUPs Voluntary Approaches Voluntary agreements > All priority SUPs, with a particular 1st phase: Short-term focus on single-use portion packs. > Associations of accommodation > Would preferably cover all types of establishments (tourism) waste, including SUPs and other > Chain hotels and all-inclusive plastic products which are not being resorts included in the list of priority SUPs, 2nd phase: Independent Medium-term food waste and other common types accommodation establishments. of waste in the hospitality sector. Deposit Refund System > Beverage cups Food and beverage (DRS) for Reuse > Food containers establishments that wish to > Dinnerware & cutlery develop a communal DRS for reuse Environmental labelling All priority SUPs; would preferably cover 1st phase: Short-term all types of waste, including SUPs and > Associations of other plastic products which are not accommodation being included in the list of priority SUPs, establishments (tourism) food waste and other common types of > Individual chain hotels and waste in the hospitality sector. all-inclusive resorts 33 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR Policy Measures Target Products Target Stakeholders Timeframe Environmental labelling All priority SUPs; would preferably cover 2nd phase: Independent Medium-term all types of waste, including SUPs and accommodation establishments. other plastic products which are not 1st phase: Short-term being included in the list of priority SUPs, > Associations of food & food waste and other common types of beverage establishments waste in the hospitality sector. > Chain establishments 2nd phase: Independent food & Medium-term beverage establishments. Unilateral commitments All priority SUPs, selected by business. Any business Continued basis Recommended Next Steps to Develop an NPAP Involve the Stakeholders It is crucial that all stakeholders are involved in planning the NPAP as policy success is dependent upon them changing their behavior. They should be involved at all the stages of the process and involvement can include providing information, opportunities for consultation and participation, and negotiation. In addition, stakeholder involvement should be inclusive, open and transparent, timely, relevant, responsive, and credible. Select, Adopt and Implement Policy Measures An implementation plan needs to be made that: (1) accommodates the preferred measures and the practicalities of formalizing them; (2) estimates the resources (skills and finance) needed to ensure they are implemented; (3) the purpose of any revenues; and (4) how long it will take for this process to happen. Raise Public Awareness An IEC strategy needs to be developed to raise awareness about the negative impacts caused by single- use plastics and to effectively inform all targeted stakeholders about the policy measures that are being taken to reduce these impacts. Ensure Compliance A compliance strategy is also needed as there are so many stakeholders it will be challenging to ensure compliance. Monitoring and effective enforcement of policy measures will be key to making sure that the policy changes are successful. Monitor, Evaluate and Adjust Policy Measures Key performance indicators need to be identified as they will guide the monitoring and evaluating process, demonstrate progress and opportunities for review and adaptation. 34 6 Actions for Change The solid and plastic waste situation in the Lao PDR is a crisis that needs to be immediately addressed for the sake of the environment, the economy, and the health of its population. Urgent action is needed to change the solid waste management landscape and head towards a greener and more eco-friendly economy (see Figure 14). The Lao PDR needs to: FIGURE 14. FOUR KEY CHANGES NEEDED REDUCE IMPROVE Th us of sin l -us pl stic Th m n m nt of solid nd pl stic w st CHANGE INTRODUCE St k hold r b h viour A circul r w st conom These changes are possible, but the following actions are needed to ensure success. 1. Action on Plastic 2. Create New Legal and Institutional Frameworks 3. Invest in Solid Waste Management Operations 4. Move Towards a Circular Waste Economy 35 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR 1. Action on Plastic National Plastic Action Plan (NPAP) Actions needed: 1. Select and agree on PRIORITY plastic items and policy measures (see Table 11) 2. Initiate stakeholder consultations on selected priority plastic measures 3. Implement the subsequent steps on the plastic policy road map (see Figure 12) 4. Develop and implement the NPAP. Measures Action needed: Implement four key measures to limit the use of single-use plastics and to reduce plastic waste while focusing on target products, stakeholders and within short-term to medium-term timeframes. 1. Regulatory change supported by enforcement 2. Economic incentives 3. Information and awareness building 4. Voluntary approaches and agreements. In addition to developing an NPAP and the measures needed to ensure the policy measures are successful in reducing plastic pollution in the Lao PDR, a broader set of solid waste management measures are needed. 2. Create New Legal and Institutional Frameworks Actions needed: New legal frameworks are needed to set the legislative landscape to guide policy and decision-making including: 1. Develop a national and integrated vision for solid waste management. 2. Develop a new Legal Framework on Waste Management and other specific legislation to prioritize how waste is managed in the Lao PDR. Actions for Change 36 3. Invest in Solid Waste Management Operations Collection and Disposal Actions needed: 1. Conduct feasibility studies to determine equipment and workforce needs to inform future investments 2. Make sure that heavy-cost infrastructure investments are supported by capacity building, technical assistance and operational and management back up 3. Replace, or rehabilitate and upgrade existing disposal sites 4. Make sure changes to disposal sites are based on international best practice 5. Upgrade vehicle fleets and collection equipment 6. Expand collection points beyond urban areas by establishing community collection points, sorting facilities and transfer stations 7. Pay specific attention to informal sector to protect livelihoods. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Actions needed: 1. Implement an IEC campaign to build stakeholder and public awareness of the issues to encourage willingness to participate and reduce the use of single-use plastics 2. Prioritize the diversion of waste away from final disposal by establishing formal segregation of waste and building the capacity of recycling and pre-treatment 3. Make sure disposal sites and recycling centers can cater for the projected import of plastic waste for processing 4. In addition, to reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic, projects that process organic waste should also be prioritized. Finance Actions needed: 1. Review fee collection system and consider adding waste fees to other municipal collection fees (such as electricity and property taxes) 2. Extend service areas to increase household waste collection fee rates 3. Review and revise charges for household waste 4. Link the cost of waste collection to waste fees 5. Run affordability and willingness to pay surveys to determine acceptable fee structures 6. Introduce a polluter pays system. Contracts Actions needed: 1. Make sure solid waste collection contracts include key performance indicators (KPIs) to help monitor progress against agreed objectives 2. Make sure solid waste collection contracts and concessions run for at least two to three years to encourage investments in equipment and quality of service provided 37 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR Data Collection Create a more rigorous data collection system for more accurate data on solid and plastic waste. Actions needed: > Set up systems for data collection, analysis, reporting and monitoring are required to provide a more comprehensive overview of waste management, help determine areas for improvement, and enhance sector monitoring and planning. > Begin the process of developing a comprehensive Waste Information System (WIS). A simple way to start would be to install of weighbridges at all landfills and create an automated registration and reporting system. Once this is set up, the WIS could become more comprehensive by adding other key indicators. Capacity and Awareness Building Actions needed: > Support capacity building, technical assistance and operations and maintenance support > Build institutional capacity at national and local level 4. Move towards a Circular Waste Economy Develop an innovative climate-neutral, resource efficient, circular economy for solid and plastic waste and in compliance with the waste hierarchy (moving from disposal to prevention). This will contribute to sustainable growth, low carbon and climate resilient development, decent job creation, and a safer, healthier and pollution-free environment. Actions needed: 1 Design out waste and pollution 2 Keep products and materials in use 3 Protect natural systems from pollution Larb - Lao minced beef salad served with lettuce leaves for wraps A Lao woman collects recyclables on the Garbage bamboo wicker baskets streets of Luang Prabang Blue lagoon, Vang Vieng, Laos 39 Get CLEAN and GREEN—Solid Waste and Plastic Management in Lao PDR The World Bank Group Lao PDR Country Office, East Asia and Pacific Region Xieng Ngeun Village, Chao Fa Ngum Road, Chantabouly District, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR worldbank.org/lao This publication is printed on a mix of FSC-certified and recycled paper.