Myanmar

Policy Framework

• ▶ National Action Plan
• ▶ Legal Framework
• ▶ Indicators and/or Targets
• ▶ Technical Standards, Guidelines and Methodologies

National Action Plan

■ In preparation
Name:
● National Plastic Action Plan in Myanmar
Brief description:

1. National Plastic Action Plan in Myanmar is being developed with the technical assistance of (Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF)) through “Strengthening Capacity for Marine Debris Reduction in ASEAN region through the formulation of National Action Plans for the ASEAN Member States and Integrated Land-to-Sea Policy Approach” Phase II Project.
2. The final draft of the National Plastic Action Plan will be developed and submitted to the Technical Working Group for review.
3. The NPAP will be implemented by a Technical Working Group (TWG) comprising government, private sector, and local authorities and civil society. The TWG will coordinate actions, monitor progress, and ensure that targets are met according to the defined timeline (short-term by 2027, medium-term by 2030, and long-term by 2035).
4. The TWG will coordinate the execution of the plan, monitor progress, and ensure compliance. Enforcement Policies include transparency in reporting, citizen awareness campaigns, and penalties for non-compliance.
5. The NPAP aims to transform Myanmar’s approach to plastic use and waste management, ensuring a sustainable, circular economy by 2035, while also contributing to regional efforts like the ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris. The overall goal of NPAP is to end plastic pollution through its life cycle by creating a resource-efficient economy based on traditional knowledge and circular practices.
6. The action plan focuses on three main goals: phasing out selected plastic packaging and single-use plastics (SUPs), creating a source-segregated waste collection system to minimize leakage, and promoting the use of circular materials and systems. To achieve these goals, the NPAP targets reducing plastic inputs through legislation and public awareness, enhancing waste collection with better infrastructure, and creating value for waste reuse by encouraging sustainable materials and practices.
7. To accomplish these targets, six key strategies and activities are implemented: (1) enacting legislation to restrict SUPs in key areas, (2) limiting the import of virgin plastic and plastic scrap, (3) recovering plastic waste through a multistakeholder approach, (4) reducing waste by promoting segregation and recycling, (5) applying 3R principles (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) in manufacturing funded through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and (6) replacing SUPs with reusable, refillable, or biodegradable alternatives. These strategies involve policymaking, research, public education, and private sector engagement to ensure effective implementation and achieve the desired outcomes of reducing plastic pollution and fostering a circular economy.

Legal Framework

Name(Year):
1. Environmental Conservation Law (2012)
Brief description:
Chapter VIII Management of Urban Environment include management of wastes and pollution control.

Name(Year):
2. Environmental Conservation Rules (2014)
Brief description:
In Chapter (IX) Waste Management, the Ministry shall carry out waste treatment by the categories of business which emit or produce solid wastes, liquid wastes, emissions, radiations which contain poisonous and hazardous materials by establishing their own facility or center, or collective facility or center.

Name(Year):
3. Myanmar National Waste Management Strategy and Master Plan (2018-2030)
Brief description:
The vision of Myanmar’s National Waste Management Strategy and Master Plan (2018-2030) is to create a “Sustainable, Green, Clean and Healthy Environment Towards a Brighter Future for Myanmar”. The vision is aligned with the principles outlined in the National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS,2009) and the National Environment Policy (2018). The mission is to develop and implement a holistic and integrated waste management strategy founded on the principles of inclusiveness, zero waste, zero emissions, and a circular economy to achieve a greener, cleaner, and healthier environment in Myanmar.

Indicators and/or Targets

■ In Preparation (Provide details below if Yes/In-progress)
■ Plastic recycling:
Indicators:

• Limit on the export and import of virgin plastic /plastic recycle scrap
• Licensing requirements for plastic importers and manufacturers.
• The Percentage of current local plastic waste recycling rate.
• Increase recycling rates by improving infrastructure and community involvement.

Targets (if any):

• Achieve increased resource efficiency by limiting virgin plastic exports, imports and encouraging recycling.
• Formalize and support the recycling sector- Provide organized support and control for the informal recycling sector to improve operational efficiency and outcomes.
• Increase the recycling rate- Aim to improve the plastic recycling rate beyond the current recycling rate through enhanced policies, infrastructure support, and community engagement.
• Implement fees and EPR effectively- Successfully implement and enforce fees on plastic bags and other products and ensure EPR compliance to shift the costs of waste management to producers.

■ Plastic use reduction:
Indicators:

• Restriction on the usage of single-use plastics (SUP) across various sectors (hospitality, institutions, nationwide).
• Reduction in the volume of single-use plastics (SUP) produced and consumed.
• Introduction of fees for SUPs (plastic bags, take-away food packaging, Betel Nut Sachets).
• Research on alternatives (plant-based and biodegradable materials).
• Incentive programs for businesses to promote alternatives (BYO containers, reduced plastic bag usage).
• Reduce the consumption of single-use plastics (SUP).

Targets (if any):

• Phase out selected single-use plastics (such as plastic bags, straws, and cutlery) by short and medium term, with an ultimate goal of reducing SUP usage by long-term.
• Reduce operational costs by transitioning to alternative materials.
• Encourage consumer behavior change by eliminating the perception of SUPs as free items.

■ Plastic to alternatives, such as glass, paper, or bioplastics:
Indicators:

• Promote alternatives to plastics, such as glass, paper, and bioplastics.
• Incentive industries to use biodegradable or plant-based material instead of SUPs

Targets (if any):

• Achieve a substitution rate of SUPs by 2035.
• Achieve a significant increase in the market share of alternative such as glass, paper, and bioplastics.

■ Plastic leakage:
Indicators:

• Implementation of source-segregated waste collection systems to prevent plastic leakage into the environment
• Reduce plastic waste leakage into the environments.
• Reduction in the amount of plastic waste improperly disposed of or dumped in the open site

Targets (if any):

• Decrease leakage by 2030

■ Beach Cleanup:
Indicators:

• Conduct regular beach cleanups to mitigate marine plastic pollution.
• Frequency and coverage of Clean-up Activities (e.g., number of beaches, total coastline length, or specific priority areas cleaned)

Targets (if any):

• Achieve a measurable reduction in litter on target beaches
• Set a goal for the volume of waste collected per clean-up (e.g., 10 tons of plastic waste removed per event) and the types of waste collected (e.g., single-use plastics, fishing gear, glass, metal, etc.).

Technical Standards, Guidelines and Methodologies

Topics: ■ waste management / recycling
Brief Description:
Create public awareness campaigns and provide local plastic action plan on reducing the use of single-use plastics. Promote the benefits of reusable and biodegradable alternatives to consumers and businesses.

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Measures

Measures across Value Chain

Actions for encouraging sustainable / circular product design

Policy actions for encouraging plastic alternatives, recycled materials at production stage.

Steps taken towards restricting microplastics in products.

Reduce single-use plastic (shopping bags, straws etc.) by regulations or voluntary measures

Introduce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

Improve waste management and recycling system

Promoting plastic waste re-use, recycling and recovery opportunities

Install capturing trap/filter on drainage/river

Conduct clean-up activities in rivers/ wetlands/ beaches/ coasts/ coral reefs/ sea floor, involving local communities involving local communities

Product Specific Measures: ALDFG

Taken/to be taken National Level Action and/or Community Level Action on Clean sea initiatives including ghost net retrieval, ocean-bound plastics etc.

Taken actions for preventing abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) being generated.

Created/creating collection/recycling mechanism for ALDFG

Partnership and Innovation

Boost multi-stakeholder involvement and awareness-raising

Encourage/ Incentivize action by private sector companies to reduce/ sustainably manage their plastic waste.

Encourage public awareness on MPL issues through formal education system and/or curriculum for

Promote innovative solutions through Research & Development

Monitoring, Data Management, Understanding Flow of Plastics/MPL

Conduct Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of plastic products. What are the challenges if LCA is not conducted?

Conduct Material Flow Analysis (MFA) on plastics. What are the challenges if MFA is not conducted?

Conduct monitoring / estimation / scientific research on leakage of plastics/microplastics to the natural environment and/or flow of ocean surface. What are the challenges if these actions are not conducted?

International Collaboration

Participate in international cooperation through international

Support target region by your international cooperation initiatives/projects: South, Central and Southeast Asia

Challenges

■ Recycling system improvement
Specific Challenges:
Lack of formal recycling infrastructure and reliance on informal sector operations.
Low recycling rates with significant leakage into the environment.
Lack of municipal support for recycling activities, which limits the participation of informal collectors in plastic waste management.
Insufficient facilities and resources to segregate and recycle waste effectively.

■ Proper waste management system (including lack of local capacity)
Specific Challenges:
Inadequate infrastructure for waste collection, segregation, and disposal.
Insufficient public participation.

■ Data collection related to marine plastic litter.
Specific Challenges:
Limited monitoring and data collection on marine plastic litter.

■ Lack of financial incentives for waste treatment in general
Specific Challenges:
Limited funding and budget allocation for waste management and recycling initiatives.
No incentives or subsidies for adopting environmentally friendly waste treatment technologies.

■ Lack of financial incentives for technology development
Specific Challenges:
Limited funding and no subsidies for developing waste management technologies.
Low investment attractiveness due to unprofitable infrastructure and lack of tipping fees.
No financial mechanisms like grants or loans to support innovation in waste management.
Limited incentives for adopting circular economy practices.

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Best Practices

■ National level ■ Local/community level
Description: Implementation of best practices at the local or community level and national level
National Level:
Environmental Education Programs
As the Environmental Conservation Department-ECD under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation are emphasizing the reduction of plastic waste reaching the sea to the greatest extent possible the entire country, including all states and regions.
National-level initiatives, such as environmental education programs conducted by YCDC (Yangon City Development Committee) and MCDC (Mandalay City Development Committee), target schools to raise awareness about waste separation and recycling among students, promoting long-term behavioral change.

■ Local/community level:
Community Waste Collection Programs
Support for Informal Sector Participation Awareness program

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