A growing economy, increasing tourism and changing urban lifestyle has seen Laos’ urban areas increasingly struggling with plastic pollution. In major Lao PDR cities, food and beverage packaging make up half of all plastic pollution, with plastic bottles, lids and caps being the most commonly found items. As part of the GEF 8 Circular Solutions to Plastic Pollution Integrated Program, this WWF GEF project promotes circular solutions to single-use plastic production and consumption. Led by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MONRE), the project intends to work both at national and sub-national levels, targeting three cities: Vientiane, Vang Vieng, and Luang Prabang. Over a five-year period, the project will, in support of Laos National Plastic Action Plan (NPAP), aim to reduce the production and use of problematic single-use plastic beverage and food packaging, and increase the market share of suitable environmentally-friendly alternatives through upstream and midstream approaches targeting policy makers, private sector actors and consumers.
Country: Lao PDR
Focal area: International Waters
Project status: Project Development
GEF Project ID: 11190
Program: Circular Solutions to Plastic Pollution Integrated Program
Implementing Agency: WWF-US
Executing Agency: Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MONRE)
GEF Project Grant: US $3,978,440
GEF Agency Fee: US $358,060
Co-financing: US $4,010,000
