Previous slide
Next slide

MA-RE-DESIGN Project

Thailand is renowned as a biodiversity hotspot, situated near the Coral Triangle-a global center of marine life and coral diversity.
This proximity fosters close ecological connections between Thailand and this critical marine region. Despite its rich biodiversity, Thailand has been identified as a significant contributor to marine litter, particularly plastic waste. To address this issue, the Thai government introduced the Plastic Waste Management Roadmap 2018-2030 in 2019, along with ongoing negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty, is laying a strategic foundation for the country’s policies and regulations on plastic waste prevention and management. 

This initiative focuses on preventing plastic leakage into the sea by optimising the packaging value chain, following circular economy principles.

Project collaboration

Between 2023 and 2026, the WWF is collaborating with GIZ and UNEP COBSEA to reduce plastic waste leakage into the sea in Thailand. Under the Marine litter prevention through reduction, sustainable design and recycling of plastic packaging (MA-RE-DESIGN) project financially supported by German Government, the partners will: Promote sustainable packaging design and Extended Producer Responsibility regulation; Mobilise the tourism sector and municipalities in two marine biodiversity hotspot to prevent and better manage plastic waste; Foster knowledge-sharing and exchange of lessons learned with key regional stakeholders. 

This includes supporting the Pollution Control Department (PCD) in developing a legal recommendation aligned with ecological design (eco-design) policies, offering technical support companies to enhance production processes and packaging design for environmental sustainability, and organising knowledge exchange sessions and innovation award to emphasise the importance of eco-design.

Within this initiative, the WWF works with Koh Tao and Trang municipalities as well as tourism stakeholders on Koh Tao, Koh Libong,
Koh Muk, and in Pak Meng.

Reducing Plastic Pollution in 2 Municipalities

KOH TAO

Its high tourism-driven plastic waste makes Koh Tao ideal for piloting marine litter prevention and showcasing effective waste reduction strategies.

TRANG

Its diverse coastal ecosystem and mixed urban-rural communities make Trang ideal for modeling comprehensive waste management solutions.

Spotlight Koh Tao is a three-day festival that showcases the island’s commitment to conservation and aims to promote sustainable tourism. Through a series of twelve marine and land activities led by various local initiatives, its program offers visitors new ways to explore the island while inspiring them to participate in conservation endeavors. Aligned with the Bio-Circular-Green economic model (BCG) outlined in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the activities featured in the program not only reflect the community’s dedication to preserving its natural resources and developing sustainably but also represent a new paradigm for tourism.
Spotlight Koh Tao
Six Senses is a global sustainability pioneer within the hospitality industry. They have set ambitious goals for plastic reduction/avoidance of every property. In 2021, Six Senses was the first hospitality brand to collaborate with the United States Coalition on Sustainability and SustainChain as part of their "Plastic Free 2022" strategy to remove and avoid all virgin plastic materials from its hotel and spa operations. They were also of the first signatories of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative. Six Senses has eliminated all unnecessary plastic packaging of bathroom amenities, room amenities, and retail spaces & replaced with plastic free solutions (i.e. bathroom amenities, or reusable silicone lids instead of cling film). The Thai properties (like Samui) also eliminated plastic packaging in retail through a supplier engagement programs. They are just about to release a plastic free playbook and will be sharing how they went plastic free in other areas like kitchen and housekeeping. This “Journey to Plastic Freedom” will be internally launched soon before sharing it with the wider community.
Six Sense SamuiJennifer Klar, Director of Corporate Sustainability
In 2020 Accor became the first Hospitality group to commit to progressively eliminate single-use plastic items from the guest experience and offer eco-responsible alternatives for 46 plastic items. Accor committed to remove plastic cups from properties by 2021 as well as plastic packaging for toothbrushes and cotton buds from their bathrooms by 2025. Straws, stirrers, cutlery, plates, and cups from their food and beverage services will also be phased out by 2025. Accor plans to replace single plastic items laundry bags by 2025. As part of their efforts Accor is working with suppliers to determine the recyclability and compostability of plastic packaging and plastic components of room amenities as well as the recycled content in the composition of room amenities accessories to ensure items, such as dispensers, consist of fully recycled materials. The hotel chain also trains its staff on waste management as they plan to do more recycling and composting. The goal is to recycle 65% of waste in their hotels. Accor funded one project phase of the IUCN-initiative "Circular economy for islands“ on Koh Libong.
Banyan Tree Samui
Akaryn Hotel Group is a Thai hotel group consisting of three brands (Aleenta (2 resorts), Akyra (4 resorts) and their SPA brand Ayurah) with a total of 6 hotels in Thailand. They specialize in the management of small luxury resorts. The group was among the first hotel groups in the country to eradicate single-use plastics from all their properties. In 2018 akyra TAS Sukhumvit Bangkok launched as Asia’s first no single-use plastic hotel, followed by akyra Manor Chiang Mai. Since 2019 all 6 luxury hotels and resorts located throughout Thailand are single-use plastic-free. In 2010 they established their "Pure Blue Foundation" which dedicates special funds to support the stop of plastic bottle use within the properties of the group and nearby communities. Recent sponsorships include the endorsement of The Lab relaunch as the first no-single use Gym in Bangkok. Aleenta Phuket Resort & Spa was awarded as "Thailand’s Best Small Green Resort“.
Akaryn Hotel GroupAnchalika Kijkanakorn, Founder and Owner
Soneva Kiri has banned single-use plastic throughout their resorts and are proud to recycle 90% of their solid waste in their Eco Centro centres. Tonnes of steel and aluminum cans and cardboard are compacted, with some being sent overseas for recycling and others being reimagined as part of the Waste-To-Wealth initiative. Soneva was one of the first resort companies in the world to ban branded bottled water and have been producing their own since 2008; Sonu Shivdasani and his wife Eva Malmström Shivdasani also launched Six Senses in 1995, and the Evason hotels group in 1997, but the management contracts for both companies were sold in 2012 as part of Sonu and Eva’s ‘One Owner, One Operator, One Philosophy’ strategyunder Soneva. There are currently 3 Soneva resort on the Maldives and one in Thailand: Soneva Kiri on Koh Kood.
Soneva Kiri Koh Kood
In 2018 Anantara pledged a 75% reduction in single use plastic by 2024 and are well on track to achieving this with many hotels having now removed it totally from Front of House and working on our kitchens & supply chains.
Anantara Koh Samui
Previous
Next

WWF's Monitoring Tool

An example of plastic waste and packaging monitoring tool. This monitoring tool has been developed by WWF to support tourism businesses who are participating in the MA-RE-DESIGN project and those who have committed to reducing single-use plastic waste.
The monitoring tool enables accurate tracking and measurement of all plastic waste and packaging generated.

A key requirement for effective monitoring is the separation and weighing of plastic waste from their total waste. The primary goal of this tool is to record daily waste data accurately, ensuring precise measurements and effective waste management.

Contract

Eknarin Ariyavongvivat

Project Manager
Contact: eknarina@wwf.or.th

Aim-on Piriyapanish

Field Coordinator (Koh Tao)
Contact: aimonp@wwf.or.th

Tika Kimkue

Field Coordinator (Trang)
Contact: tikak@wwf.or.th

Other Projects

Plastic Smart Cities (PSC) - TV Action (TVA)

Marine Guardians

Pre-zero Dugong

WWF Thailand

Working to sustain the natural world
for the benefit of people and nature

Follow us
Facebook X-twitter Instagram Youtube

WWF Thailand

Working to sustain the natural world
for the benefit of people and nature

Follow us
Facebook X-twitter Instagram Youtube
Follow us
Facebook X-twitter Instagram Youtube

WWF Thailand

Working to sustain the natural world
for the benefit of people and nature

Follow us
Facebook X-twitter Instagram Youtube