Laksmi Widyajayanti, Acting Deputy for Waste, Hazardous Waste, and Toxic Substances Management at the Ministry of Environment, said managing chemicals and waste is a shared responsibility among countries in the region.
“Without joint efforts at the international level, it is impossible to combat illegal cross-border waste trafficking and realize a circular economy in this region,” Widyajayanti said, as quoted in a statement received in Jakarta on Friday.
As host of the meeting held on May 12-13, in Tangerang, Indonesian representatives also stated that Southeast Asian countries need to strengthen regional synergy in facing the challenge of balancing economic growth with environmental protection.
Mahadi Bin Sukarno, the AWGCW chairman from Malaysia, said ASEAN should not become a dumping ground for global waste.
“As a rapidly developing region, ASEAN must not become a global waste dumping ground. This meeting is important to align policy directions so that we can balance economic progress with environmental and public health protection,” he explained.
He urged ASEAN member states to remain free from chemical and waste pollution through concrete actions, not merely annual meetings.
Delegates also discussed seven priority programs under the AWGCW Action Plan, including the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies to support the green industry, emergency responses to chemical accidents, and the remediation of contaminated land.
Indonesia’s Environment Ministry also pushed for harmonized operational standards among ASEAN members to help countries comply with international agreements such as the Basel Convention, the Minamata Convention, and the Montreal Protocol.
The meeting also served as a platform for sharing innovations related to the circular economy, with discussions focused on waste management systems aimed at reducing environmental impacts while generating sustainable economic value.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Kuntum Khaira
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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