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Abstract Plastic pollution of oceans and seas is increasing every year and coastal countries need to pay particular attention to this problem. Four Asian countries – Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea – were analysed in terms of the amount of waste and plastic waste generated and their recycling rates. For each country, available data were collected and converted into a common unit of measurement – metric tonnes per 1,000 people. The countries' performance to date was analysed and used as a basis for projections for 2030. Based on the trends so far, Japan has seen an 11% reduction in plastics waste and a 6% reduction in waste over the period, while China has seen a 27% increase in waste and an 8% reduction in plastic waste. In South Korea, plastic waste increased by 49% and waste by 21%. In Singapore, waste decreased by 13% and plastic waste increased by 15%. On current trends, none of the countries are projected to reach their 2030 targets. However, by complying with current and newly introduced regulations, they have a chance to move closer to their targets.
Vuk et al. (Wed,) studied this question.