Reducing plastic consumption can boost economic growth and create numerous job opportunities, said Dr. Kaung Htet Syan, Founder & Executive Director of Environment, Health and Safety Myanmar (EHS Myanmar). The discussion was held at the first Youth Sustainability Forum 2025 in Myanmar on June 7, titled “Finding a Joint Solution to Myanmar’s Plastic Problem and Towards a Sustainable Development Path.”
He said that lowering plastic consumption can strengthen the recycling economy, renewing businesses and waste markets. There are many opportunities for local residents to create economic opportunities based on local waste and plastics, and if these opportunities can be realized, they can improve health and contribute to environmental conservation. He added that although policies have been put in place to combat garbage and plastic waste, they are not yet successful, and there is no basic data on on how much plastic waste is generated in the region on how much plastic waste is generated in the region each day.
Only with this basic data can the waste market grow stronger, and as it does, plastic usage may be reduced while also benefiting small and medium-sized businesses. Environmentalists argue that, while people are aware of the environmental damage caused by plastic, most are hesitant to take action to avoid it, thus everyone must contribute, he said.
