Plastic Waste Trade in Indonesia and Country’s Response to Waste Trade Challenges

Global waste trade routes shift from China to Southeast Asian countries and Asian and Central European countries, which saw strong response by the Southeast Asia (SEA) region. Policy changes at the global level occurred with the adoption of the Basel Convention Plastic Waste Amendment at the 14th Conference of the Parties, which entered into force in January 1, 2021. This paper looks at the plastic and paper waste trade dynamics between 2018 and 2022, focusing on Indonesia. Plastic pollution, the impact of a tsunami of plastic waste trade into Indonesia, resulted in new policies. Watchdog reports and public pressures on the impact of plastic and paper waste trade contributed to improving the regulatory framework in Indonesia and the region.