UNwaste

The UNwaste project was developed in response to growing concern over transboundary waste flows, particularly following China’s 2018 waste import ban, which diverted large volumes of waste to Southeast Asia. This sudden shift exposed regulatory loopholes, enforcement gaps, and overwhelmed waste management systems in several ASEAN countries. The overall objective of UNwaste is to address waste trafficking between the EU and Southeast Asia and to promote partnerships that support the transition to a circular economy (CE), in line with relevant EU and ASEAN policy frameworks. The project aimed to strengthen understanding of transboundary waste flows through the development of evidence-based knowledge products, improve national cooperation by supporting regulatory and enforcement mechanisms against illegal waste imports, and foster both intra-regional and EU–Southeast Asia collaboration through institutional partnerships and dialogue mechanisms. As a pioneering initiative in this thematic space, the project’s initial focus was placed on addressing waste trafficking as a criminal issue. Consequently, early implementation prioritized cooperation with law enforcement agencies, customs authorities, and environmental. Gender equality policies and a gender perspective was considered since its design, by ensuring, to the maximum extent possible, equal gender representation among participants and resource persons in the course of UNwaste implementation. 

The project was implemented in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam, within the ASEAN regional context. Its stakeholders included national policymakers, ministries of environment, justice and trade, customs agencies, task forces, ASEAN working groups and the ASEAN Secretariat, as well as EU Commission services (DG ENV, OLAF), EU Delegations, and European enforcement and expert networks (IMPEL, EMPACT). It also collaborated with international organisations (e.g. UNEP, ESCAP, INTERPOL, the Basel Convention Secretariat), and engaged regional research institutions and media partners. 

Key Outputs

Outcome1: The UNwaste initiative contributed significantly to raising awareness of waste trafficking among government officials. It helped shift perceptions from viewing waste movements as trade issues to recognizing them as criminal activities. The project also enhanced understanding of global waste trafficking dynamics and supported policy dialogue and ongoing regulatory reforms. These efforts helped to strengthen institutional frameworks and improve the prospects for future legal action against transboundary waste crimes.

Outcome 2: The project contributed to enhanced coordination and cooperation among key government entities—including environmental, customs, and trade agencies—towards more effective enforcement against illegal waste imports. While these efforts mark meaningful progress, enforcement remains dispersed across multiple ministries, highlighting the continued need for strengthened cross-sectoral collaboration and integrated institutional responses.

Outcome 3: The UNwaste project contributed substantively to strengthening ASEAN–EU engagement on waste trafficking and circular economy, by enabling sustained intergovernmental dialogue, building technical understanding, and supporting the development of regional and national policy frameworks.

Location: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam, within the ASEAN regional context