IPEN SEA regional strategy development workshop. Fourteen (14) organizations actively participated in the recently concluded regional virtual workshop that aims to develop a regional strategy representing the context, initiatives, and future directions. It will also underscore regional contributions to the implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions (BRS), the Minamata Convention, plastics/ plastics treaty,  and overall IPEN goal. Follow-up workshops will be conducted in the future.

Taiwan Watch Institute and its partners conducted a press conference to call on the government to open up the space for dialogue and to respond to the NGOs version of the draft "Sustainable Resource Management Law." The proposed law promotes total recycling and the adoption of a circular economy.

Greenpeace Philippines raises alarm as the Philippine's Department of Environment and Natural Resources promotes the burning of municipal plastic waste in cement plants to solve LGUs' solid waste problem. It also urges that concerns about this practice should be considered in local government's decision-making as it has implications not just for the environment but the health of the communities.

The Action for Carcinogen-Free Korea calls on the Korean government to act on the plastic problems in the country emphasizing that resolving plastic pollution demands a responsible government attitude. The group underscores that if no action will be taken by the government, then, the government's commitments to carbon neutrality or climate crisis measures will never be fulfilled.

Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) condemns Davao City’s renewed push to establish the Waste-to-Energy Incinerator Facility in the city emphasizing that it will not address the city's problem with solid wastes. IDIS also reiterated that the problem with the proposed WTE facility is it would release toxins as it burns up waste to produce power, threatening air quality, water, food, and human health

Indonesian Center for Environmental Law, with its partner, the Association of Zero Waste Indonesia issued six recommendations for the Government of Indonesia in the process of negotiating the Global Plastic Treaty. AZWI and ICEL call on the Indonesian government to take a strategic role in the negotiation process to end plastic pollution.

BAN Toxics pushes for Toxic-Free and Waste-Free schools in the opening of classes in the Philippines. The organization emphasized the need for a Toxics-Free School Program (TFSP) to mainstream school-based environment awareness, programs, and policies to prevent toxic and waste pollution during the week-long cleanup, repair, and renovation of school facilities.

Consumers Association Penang - CAP calls on the Malaysia Health Ministry to ban other imported talc-based baby powders and those produced by local manufacturers in response to the voluntary cessation of talc-based baby powder sales globally by Johnson & Johnson in 2023.

Groups in the Philippines welcome Johnson and Johnson’s decision to stop selling Talc-Based baby powder. EcoWaste Coalition, Associated Labor Unions - TUCP, and Arugaan welcome the decision of a US transnational corporation to phase out by 2023 its talc-based baby powder from the global market, including the Philippines. The group also calls on other baby powder manufacturers to follow suit and replace talk with alternatives that will not pose an asbestos-related risk.

Toxics-Free Corps shares updates about their amazing work on detoxifying daily consumer goods in China in their newly released newsletter.

The Labour Action China, in its recent newsletter, calls for support to address the lack of safety and health protection for platform workers around the globe. The Concern Group also calls on labour groups and unions worldwide to support their open letter already signed by 25 unions/groups from 14 countries/regions. Recently, Food Panda HK replied that it is willing to set up a meeting with riders on their issues.

Australia is still dumping waste in Asia. Thailand's Minister for the Environment has ordered the repatriation of 130 tonnes of Australian waste, imported into the country as paper and cardboard but found to be highly contaminated with plastic wastes. The Minister has also ordered an investigation and potential legal proceedings.

The Pesticides Action Network Asia Pacific commends the Malaysian government for its declaration to ban the use of the Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) #chlorpyrifos and carbofuran in the agriculture sector effective May 1, 2023.

The recent IPEN report “Women Leaders: Addressing Chemicals and Waste Issues” highlights women's leadership through ten organizations from around the world working to address chemical health threats. The report was developed within the framework of the United Nations Environment Program and its Global Environment Facility (GEF), under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), executed by the SAICM Secretariat. The production of the report was supported by the Swedish Government. 

Young Eun Kwon, a SHARPS activist, is one of the women leaders interviewed. SHARPS is based in Korea and works on protecting the health and human rights of workers in the semiconductor industry. A copy of the story is also uploaded here with a brief overview translated into the Korean language.

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