Southeast Asian (SEA) countries have witnessed a rise in waste generation in recent years, driven by factors like growing population, shifts in consumer preferences and the rising popularity of single-use packaged goods. As a result, more initiatives are being undertaken by their governments to bridge the gaps in waste management. Similarly, increasing deterioration of water resources has shifted the focus of SEA countries towards developing necessary infrastructure for wastewater treatment, repurposing treated water and improving the efficiency of water distribution networks by reducing leakages, strengthening monitoring, etc. To enable this transition, investments in these sectors were increased in the year 2024, and there was higher rate of adoption of innovative solutions, a push towards circular wastewater and waste management and the construction of a vast water supply infrastructure in most SEA countries.
Southeast Asia Infrastructure takes a look at these predominant trends and developments in the water and waste sectors…
Higher investments and focused government programmes
In recent times, SEA countries have witnessed a significant surge in investments to build infrastructure for water supply and sanitation services. The urgency to improve infrastructure to tackle water-and waste-related challenges has led to the rolling out of various initiatives. For instance, in August 2024, the Government of Thailand brought out a comprehensive water management plan costing approximately THB 550 billion. This plan aims to benefit around 4.5 million households, providing them with access to clean water. The government has also allocated a significant portion of its annual budget to strengthen water security, provide assistance to flood victims, etc. The Government of Cambodia, on the other hand, has identified priority areas to initiate planning and development of wastewater systems. It also enacted a law on wastewater systems in November 2024.
Multilateral institutions have also increased their funding to support waste management and water sectors. For instance, in December 2024, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) allocated $50.3 million to support the development of a sustainable and climate-resilient water supply and sanitation system in Lao PDR. This project is expected to improve access to safe and reliable water supply and sanitation services, benefiting around 13,000 households. In another related development, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Alliance to End Plastic Waste and Indonesia’s Ministry of Public Works and Housing collaborated to set up a co-investment partnership in May 2024. This will aid the provision of integrated solid waste management services in Indonesia.
Increased uptake of smart solutions for waste collection and treatment
Government authorities in the region have been deploying advanced and cost-efficient solutions for disposal, collection and treatment of municipal and industrial waste. These solutions aim to minimise waste, incentivise resource recovery and mitigate the hazardous impact of waste on the environment. Some key innovative solutions include the use of smart bins in SEA countries like Singapore. These bins are equipped with advanced sensors and technologies like artificial intelligence to capture and analyse the data on collected waste. Their use is also targeted to be expanded to 83 new locations by January 2025. Facilitated through the Recycling@800Super application, this initiative rewards points to consumers for using smart bins. These points can be redeemed for vouchers and other benefits.
Another important smart solution gaining prominence in SEA countries is waste-to-energy (WtE) plants, which convert non-recyclable waste to electricity. The upcoming refuse derived fuel (RDF) plant in Rorotan region, Jakarta, has a processing capacity of around 2,500 tonnes of waste per day, making it the largest such plant in the world. It is expected to decrease the load at the Bantargebang landfill by 30 per cent and generate about 875 tonnes of RDF products daily, which can be used by the energy industry. The RDF plant is about 94 per cent complete and is expected to commence operations from February 2025.
Push towards resource circularity
A circular economy approach to waste management focuses on maximising resource utilisation through their reuse and recycling. SEA countries today give immense importance to the reduction of waste and its repurposing. One significant example is a reduce, reuse and recycle (3Rs) initiative by Singapore’s National Environment Agency, which aims to reduce waste generation at source and make it a zero-waste country in the coming years. The Philippines aims to recycle and reintegrate approximately 20,000 tonnes of plastic waste by 2028 under its Green Economy Programme. In addition to this, in November 2024, the Road to Zero Waste programme was launched by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
Other than these developments, the Zero Wastewater Discharge Pilot Project undertaken by Thai Union Group Public Limited was announced to have successfully achieved 100 per cent wastewater treatment in March 2024. There has also been a rise in start-ups operating along 3R principles in 2024. For instance, Precious Plastic Bangkok, a start-up based in Bangkok, Thailand, collects and converts plastic waste into consumer products like building materials, furniture, etc. Similarly, a start-up, Octopus, in Indonesia has a reverse-logistics platform that deploys digital solutions to collect post-consumer products, which are then recycled into raw materials and can be reused in production.
Focus on expanding water supply network and water conservation
A large number of projects were undertaken in the SEA region in 2024 to improve water supply and distribution networks and aid improved access to clean water. For example, Phase 1 of the East Bay Water Supply System commenced operations in Rizal, the Philippines. The 50 million litre per day facility is expected to provide potable water to around 390,000 customers in Jalajala, Pililla, Baras, Cardona, Morong and Binangonan in the Philippines. In addition to this, as of December 2024, the Kaysakat water treatment plant in the Philippines is scheduled to be completed in January 2026; around 50 per cent of the project has already been completed.
Other SEA countries like Singapore, for example, established extensive networks of canals and reservoirs in 2024. Currently, around 66.7 per cent of Singapore’s land area is used for rainwater collection and the figure is expected to reach 90 per cent by 2060. Another significant development includes Cambodia accomplishing substantial progress in 2024, with over 1.4 million new water connections and generation of approximately 45 million cubic metres of clean water every month.
In sum
As SEA countries stride forward towards rapid growth, urbanisation and infrastructure development, the waste and water sectors emerge as critical focus areas for them. The trends observed in 2024 demonstrate a clear shift towards sustainability and environmental stewardship. A greater deployment of technological advancements for providing efficient and reliable solutions to the present challenges in the sector is expected in the near future. A rise in investments in innovative and sustainable solutions integrating renewable energy, biotechnology and artificial intelligence among others is expected to make the sectors more resilient. Besides, collaborative partnerships among stakeholders are poised to mobilise investment, expertise and resources to support various initiatives. Other than this, strengthening of policy and regulatory frameworks, capacity building and fostering community partnerships have a huge role in transforming the sector in the future.
