THE NEED FOR ASIAN REGIONAL COOPERATION IN ESTABLISHING INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ON MARINE PLASTIC DEBRIS

Abstract

The presence and circulation of marine plastic debris (or plastic waste) including in marine of the Asian continent have caused a threat to the life of ecosystems in the sea. Increased production and increasing use of plastics in the world. Besides the increasing volume or amount of plastic waste in the sea is inseparable from the behaviour of people who dispose of plastic waste. Insufficient national regulations and the absence of global international agreements including for Asia are also an issue. Cooperation on the handling of aquatic waste at sea in several Asian countries including ASEAN and its partners has also been conducted but is limited and has not been based on strong rules and legally binding. This problem is tried to be seen in this study that seeks to examine aspects of international law both hard law and soft law about the plastic waste in Asia and how the form of international agreements following the characteristics of the Asian community can handle the issue. The purpose and purpose of this study are to identify and analyse national, regional, and international regulations related to the applicable laws of the sea in Asia. Also, it analyses the framework of legal devices and regional cooperation to deal with plastic waste in the Asian seas. The methodology used is descriptive analysis with a normative legal method approach. This research are expected to provide solutions for efforts to handle global plastic waste, especially in the oceans of the Asian continent.