The 2025 ASEF Workshop for Journalists on the Challenges of Dealing with Plastic Waste took place from 19 to 22 May 2025, convening 21 environmental journalists from 20 countries across Asia and Europe. The four-day event focused on one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time – plastic pollution – offering a platform for cross-border knowledge sharing and exchange.
Throughout the workshop, participants engaged with 20 expert speakers from the public sector, private sector and civil society. Sessions covered a wide range of topics including perspectives on the proposed UN plastics treaty, innovations in plastic waste management and the need for a just transition. Participants also took part in site visits to SJK(C) Masai School and Heng Hiap Industries in Johor, Malaysia, gaining first-hand insights into how behavioural change can be encouraged through educational sustainability initiatives, as well as the technical processes behind plastic recycling to achieve zero-waste.
The programme highlighted that plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue, but a deeply interconnected challenge that spans economic, social and technological dimensions. With varying national contexts and policy approaches, the discussions reaffirmed that while there is no one-size-fits-all solution, a shared sense of responsibility and cooperation is essential for meaningful progress.
The workshop aimed to equip journalists with the tools, perspectives and networks needed to strengthen their reporting on plastic pollution and contribute meaningfully to the global discourse on plastics. As storytellers and communicators, the journalists now carry forward the mission to inform, engage and inspire audiences across Asia and Europe.
Watch this space for the workshop outcomes coming soon!
