Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 18-19 November 2025: The SEA-MaP Regional Project kicked off its second year of the Knowledge Exchange Program (KEP) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which comprised a two-day training and two-day study tour with the theme of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). The KEP was participated by representatives of the ASEAN Member States (AMS) and the ASEAN Secretariat, and was organized in collaboration with the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT).

Ms. Azlina Binti Mohd Said, Principal Assistant Secretary at the Environmental Management Division of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) of Malaysia, in her capacity as representative of the host country, as well as Mr. Grick Cordero, Ecosystems Management Specialist II of the Coastal and Marine Division, Biodiversity Management Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines, in his capacity as representative of Chair of the ASEAN Working Group on Coastal and Marine Environment (AWGCME) and Co-Chair of the SEA-MaP Project Steering Committee (PSC), welcomed the participants and opened the Knowledge Exchange Program.

The remarks highlighted the importance of commitment and collaboration to reducing marine pollution and promoting sustainable resource management, particularly through the policy mechanism of EPR as a key initiative. To this end, promoting knowledge sharing on EPR comes at a timely juncture, as an opportunity to reflect and strengthen efforts to combat plastic pollution and advance circular economy practices in the region.

The training component of the Program featured a mix of expert presentations and interactive discussions. The sessions featured industry players and stakeholders such as AIT, the Sustainable Environment Research Institute (SERI) of Chulalongkorn University, Malaysia Recycling Alliance (MAREA), the Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Materials Sustainability (PARMS), University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Alam Flora Environmental Solutions, and NRES Malaysia. The training set the scene of the Program by covering the foundations and policy landscape of EPR, including national policy landscape on EPR across ASEAN, as well as a range of key topics such as producer obligations, compliance, data collection and monitoring systems, packaging innovation, and financial mechanisms for EPR, among others. Collaborative group activities, such as an exercise to develop an action plan for EPR development/implementation plan in the respective AMS, provided a space for participants to brainstorm and engage in a lively exchange of views, sharing best practices and policies of their respective countries with their peers.

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The Knowledge Exchange Program is held annually under the SEA-MaP Regional Project. It is designed with the aim of enhancing methods, skills, and understanding of plastic waste management, while strengthening knowledge-sharing networks among government officials of AMS.

Visit these links to read on the first LINK and second days LINK of the Study Tour that were held as part of the KEP on 20 – 21 November 2025.