Jakarta, Indonesia, 18 June 2026 – The Southeast Asia Regional Program on Combating Marine Plastics (SEA-MaP) convened the Government Consultation for Development of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Handbook and Customized Toolkit in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Consultation forms part of SEA-MaP’s support to the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Action Plan (RAP) for Combating Marine Debris in the ASEAN Member States (2021–2025), particularly Action 8 “Strengthen ASEAN Regional Knowledge Network on Marine Plastics” and Action 13 “Establish a Regional Platform for EPR Knowledge and Implementation Support.”

The Consultation featured presentations and discussions on the development of the EPR Handbook, Customized Toolkit, and communication package. The Handbook provides guiding principles, regional case studies, and practical lessons on EPR implementation tailored to the ASEAN context, while the Toolkit offers practical templates, checklists, reference materials, and implementation tools designed to support governments and relevant stakeholders throughout the EPR policy development and implementation process.

Discussions highlighted the importance of ensuring that the Handbook and Toolkit are practical, accessible, and adaptable to the varying stages of EPR implementation across ASEAN Member States. Participants exchanged views on strengthening implementation guidance, enhancing usability, incorporating clearer financing and resource mobilization guidance, and ensuring that the deliverables effectively support national policy development while remaining flexible enough to accommodate different national contexts. The Consultation also underscored the importance of developing user-friendly resources that can facilitate the translation of regional recommendations into practical implementation at the national level.

The Consultation represents another important milestone in SEA-MaP’s continuing efforts to support the development of practical regional knowledge products that strengthen EPR implementation across ASEAN.

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