Building a Circular Island System in Koh Tao: Creating Pathways for Low-Value Materials
Under the MA-RE-DESIGN project, Trang City and Koh Tao municipalities commenced their Plastic Smart Cities journeys in 2025. In Trang, the emphasis was on strengthening the municipal, community, and informal-sector foundations needed for future circularity. While in Koh Tao, the work focused on overcoming island-specific barriers to recovering low-value materials. This article will focus on the Koh Tao’s efforts as of July 2026. Waste Infrastructure Gaps Threaten Koh Tao’s Environment Koh Tao […]
Indonesia’s Plastic Smart Cities Programme: Five Years of Impact and Policy Influence
Since 2020, WWF-Indonesia has been implementing the Plastic Smart Cities (PSC) programme in Bogor, Depok, and Jakarta. The programme initially started at the neighbourhood and community levels, testing small-scale pilot projects, then scaled up to strengthening waste management infrastructure at city levels, schools & public education, improving Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) readiness, and contributing to national policy development. Strengthening the Waste Collection System and Infrastructure WWF-Indonesia has been working with city governments and local […]
Expanding Plastic Smart Cities to Remote Island Paradigms
Launched in 2018 as one of WWF’s No Plastic in Nature pillars, the Plastic Smart Cities (PSC) initiative has been at the forefront of supporting not only urban but also coastal centres in their mission to eliminate plastic leakage into the environment. Recognising that there is no single solution for plastic pollution, the initiative champions a collaborative strategy that unites diverse stakeholders, from government bodies to local communities, to build resilient waste […]
Better Livelihoods for Informal Waste Workers through EPR in Thailand
Building on the project’s activities to support informal waste pickers (known colloquially as saleng in Thai) in Surat Thani, training sessions on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and human rights were conducted in March 2026 with the participation of representatives from Trang and Koh Tao municipalities, EPR experts, businesses, WWF, and over 80 informal waste pickers. This multi-stakeholder meeting focused on bridging the gap between high-level policy and the essential […]
Strengthening Local Capacities and Waste Picker Livelihoods in Gaziantep
Since 2024, WWF-Türkiye has been implementing the project “Waste pickers and Waste Not to be Wasted in Gaziantep” to strengthen waste management systems and improve the living conditions of waste pickers. By partnering with local stakeholders to deliver immediate, tangible support, ranging from protective equipment to health and language training, directly to waste pickers and […]
Plastic Smart Ports Project Launched to Reduce Plastic Leakage and Protect Marine Habitats in the Mediterranean
A major step has been taken in the fight against plastic pollution in the Mediterranean with the official launch of the Plastic Smart Ports project during an kick-off meeting held in Izmir, Türkiye. The project aims to transform selected fishing and tourism ports into replicable models of responsible plastic waste management across the Mediterranean. By […]
WWF-Indonesia & YouthLab Indonesia Launches Youth Sustainability Index Report 2025
WWF-Indonesia Plastic Smart Cities and YouthLab Indonesia launched the Youth Sustainability Index Report 2025 at the Lestari Summit & Awards 2025, a collaborative platform organized by KG Media to bring together leaders, practitioners, academics, local communities, and innovators to shape Indonesia’s sustainability agenda. The data-driven report serves as a benchmark to measure the perceptions, behaviours, […]
Coastal Communities Drive Waste Collection and Recycling in Semporna Islands
Island Recycling Centers Enhance Waste Management in Three Islands in Semporna On Larapan Island and Omadal Island, the “Rumah Kitar Semula” or Recycling Centres have been successfully establishedto serve as collection points for recyclable materials under the islands’ waste management plans. Developed together with community-led action groups with funding from the European Union, and supported […]
Capacity Building Program Strengthens Civil Society in Gaziantep
In January 2024, Şahinbey Municipality in partnership with WWF-Turkiye launched the project ‘Wastepickers and Waste Not to Be Wasted in Gaziantep’, in one of Türkiye’s largest districts. Funded by the European Union, the project not only aims to strengthen waste management systems, but also promote social inclusion and better living conditions for registered waste pickers. […]
Hue Pilots Deposit-Return Scheme to Boost Plastic Bottle Recycling
To advance circular economy solutions, WWF-Viet Nam, in collaboration with Hue University, launched a pilot Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) on 14 September 2025. DRS is widely recognized as an effective approach to complement Extended Producer Responsibility Schemes (EPR), especially in increasing the recovery rate of recyclable materials, including beverage containers. Under this approach, consumers pay […]