The AIT-RRC.AP spearheaded the Virtual Kick-off cum Consultation for the ERIA project on development and dissemination of technical guidelines for plastics and resin pellets leakage prevention from factories and informal recycling sector in the ASEAN was convened on May 6, 2022. About 22 participants from relevant local city stakeholders/partners including City Government Officers (from Manila, Vientiane, and Pattaya City), associations of plastic recyclers and plastic industries, and representatives from Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (RKC-MPD) of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) participated the meeting.

The Kick-Off meeting presented and discussed the project scope, detailed workplan with project collaborators and other key stakeholders involved in the project. The meeting attained the involvement of the core project team and set the course for a successful and smooth project collaboration with key stakeholders from project cities (Hanoi, Iloilo City, Manila, Nonthaburi City, Pattaya, and Vientiane). The project would sustain the built momentum by interfacing with key stakeholders and gathering relevant background data and surveys to understand the situation of plastic leakage hotspots in the sector. In addition, the project team will hold a series of technical meetings with country partners to incorporate inputs from the kick-off meeting.