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 […]
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 […]
Promoting Waste Separation at Source in Luang Prabang
WWF-Laos is actively implementing community-based waste management activities in collaboration with Souphanouvong University. Through awareness campaigns at the Boat Racing Festival to reduce single-use plastic and engaging households to separate waste at source, Plastic Smart Cities in Luang Prabang has reached over 150 families with training sessions and equipment such as separate bins, tongs, logbooks, […]
Empowering Island Communities: Community-led Waste Management Plans in Action
WWF-Malaysia’s No Plastic in Nature (NPIN) initiative has been working in Sabah with local governments, community-based organisations, universities and local businesses to tackle mounting plastic pollution in its coastal and marine environments, particularly in Sempora, a coastal town that sits along the Celebes Sea and serves as the gateway to some of the most biodiverse […]
From Classrooms to Coastlines: Schools, Communities, and Tourists Unite Against Plastic Pollution
Hue City is emerging as a model for community-driven environmental action in Viet Nam, where schools, citizens, and local institutions are working together to tackle plastic pollution. Through a series of on-ground initiatives, from the Plastic Reduction School Model to large-scale clean-ups and sustainable tourism programmes, Hue is not only reducing waste but also cultivating […]
Taytay and WWF-Philippines Partner to Combat Island Plastic Waste
The municipality of Taytay in Palawan, Philippines, is intensifying its efforts to mitigate marine plastic pollution through a strengthened partnership with WWF-Philippines. A new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed on April 7, 2025, to formalize the existing collaboration between WWF-Philippines and three island barangays within Taytay, namely Beton, Debangan and Paly. The MOU […]
WWF | Transforming Waste Management and Lives in Izmir, Türkiye
WWF-Türkiye has been working with the Metropolitan Municipality (MM) of Izmir since 2019 when the city joined Plastic Smart Cities. At the time, waste segregation at the source was not widely practised in Türkiye. Project Objectives Download the Case Study to learn more about the Izmir Transformation. Note: The IzDönüşüm project is now ending due […]
WWF | Community Waste Management at Gunung Emas Waste Bank: A Success Story
This story is written using Participatory Action Research where community leaders are engaged to craft their own narratives. Born from real experiences and deep knowledge, these stories represent actionable agendas that transcend mere conceptualization. Institution Name Gunung Emas Waste Bank Year Established 2014 Office Address Jalan. Kamboja 3 No. 9A, RT.9 RW.11, Rawangmangun, Kec. Pulo […]