LocationsHow can we stop the flow of marine litter?
October 29, 2026
Caspian Sea, Aktau, Kazakhstan
A plastic bottle left behind after a day at the beach, a bag discarded on the street or an old fishing net abandoned in the water — all of these can eventually end up in the sea, where they may remain for years, gradually breaking down and polluting the environment.
The Caspian Sea faces serious environmental challenges. Alongside falling water levels, changes to its ecosystems and industrial pollution, marine litter is becoming a growing concern. Plastic is particularly problematic. In many marine ecosystems, it accounts for the largest share of litter found, with international studies indicating that plastic makes up as much as 90 percent of waste recovered from the seabed.
Marine litter comes from many sources. Waste reaches the sea from land, as well as through fishing, shipping and tourism activities. Plastic packaging, bottles and bags gradually accumulate along the coast, while some waste ends up underwater. In many countries, packaging, plastic bottles, bags, cigarette butts and fishing gear account for more than 80 percent of items regularly collected during coastal clean-ups. Some types of plastic can persist in the environment for hundreds of years, gradually breaking down into smaller particles without disappearing entirely.
Gaps in waste collection, sorting and recycling systems mean that some waste escapes into the environment through settlements, rivers and coastal areas, eventually reaching the sea. The consequences extend to the economies of coastal regions. Polluted beaches require additional cleaning, fishing communities face lost or damaged equipment, and tourist destinations become less attractive. Yet reliable data on the scale of marine litter pollution in the Caspian Sea remain limited. We still lack a comprehensive picture of how much waste enters the sea, where it accumulates and which sources contribute most to the problem.
Without this information, it is difficult to determine which measures will be most effective. We need a better understanding of the types of waste being generated, how materials move through the economy and how waste patterns vary between locations. This evidence is essential for planning infrastructure, assessing pollution risks and identifying priorities for waste reduction.
That is why one of the first priorities of UNDP's regional project Addressing Marine Litter and Marine Plastics: A Systemic Approach in the Caspian Sea, will be to explore the sources of pollution. Funded by the Russian Federation, the project covers Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran and Turkmenistan. It will bring together and analyze existing data on marine litter, examining its composition, quantities and pathways into the Caspian Sea. Particular attention will be paid to plastic waste: which products most frequently end up in the environment, how they are used and what opportunities exist for reuse or recycling.
The findings will help in development of common approaches to monitoring marine litter. At present, studies use different methodologies, making it difficult to compare results across countries. More consistent monitoring methods will help researchers identify pollution trends, determine the main sources of litter and assess whether measures to reduce waste are working. The project will also look beyond coastal areas to the rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, which can carry waste from inland settlements towards the coast. This will help researchers and government agencies across the region work with comparable data, track changes over time and evaluate the results of their efforts.
Another area of work will focus on improving waste management in coastal regions.
The project will examine opportunities to expand separate plastic waste collection, improve sorting and recycling, and introduce technologies and practices that can reduce the amount of waste entering the environment. This includes assessing how existing collection systems could be improved, from the placement of waste containers and the organization of collection services to more efficient use of infrastructure. The project will also explore modern sorting and recycling technologies and identify investment needs in the sector.
Legislation and economic incentives will be equally important. The project will review existing waste management regulations and explore mechanisms such as deposit-return schemes for used containers, extended producer responsibility and measures to reduce single-use plastics. These approaches could help make recycling more accessible and encourage more efficient use of materials. But collecting and sorting waste is only part of the challenge. For recycling systems to remain viable, there must also be demand for recovered materials and products made from recycled content.
This is particularly relevant for Kazakhstan, where approximately 4.8 million tons of municipal solid waste are generated each year, much of which still ends up in landfills. Around 120 million tons of municipal solid waste have accumulated across the country. Developing markets for secondary raw materials will therefore be an important part of the response. Measures such as environmentally responsible procurement and incentives for using recycled materials could help create demand and strengthen the economic foundations of recycling.
Changes in waste management also depend on the people who deal with waste in their daily lives. The project will support local communities, entrepreneurs and civil society organizations, including through a small grants programme for initiatives that improve waste collection and recycling. Particular attention will be given to women-led and youth-led entrepreneurial initiatives, as well as practical solutions for coastal communities.
One initiative Adopt a Beach will encourage residents, organizations and volunteers to take responsibility for regularly cleaning selected stretches of coastline. The collected litter will be recorded by type, quantity and weight. Beyond removing waste from beaches, these activities will generate useful information about the kinds of litter most frequently found along the shore and help identify possible sources of pollution. Education and public awareness will also be part of the work, including activities with schools, local communities and businesses. People need practical, accessible ways to reduce waste in their everyday lives, supported by services and infrastructure that make responsible choices easier.
Cooperation among the Caspian countries will be essential.
The Caspian Sea is a shared ecosystem bordered by five countries, and tackling marine litter requires coordinated action. The project will support the exchange of scientific data, experience and practical solutions, as well as the implementation of the Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter under the Tehran Convention. For Kazakhstan, this cooperation offers opportunities to improve waste management in coastal regions, support local initiatives and build a stronger evidence base for environmental decision-making. Falling water levels are already reshaping the Caspian coastline and creating new challenges for coastal regions. Against this background, preventing further deterioration of the marine environment through waste pollution is especially important.
Every plastic bottle sent for recycling, every illegal dumping site prevented and every local initiative to reduce waste can make a difference. But lasting progress depends on a functioning system that addresses waste throughout its life cycle, from production and consumption to collection, recycling and enforcement. Such progress requires reliable data, modern infrastructure, economic incentives, community participation and long-term investment. Together, these elements can help prevent waste from entering the environment in the first place, reducing the need to deal with pollution after the damage has been done.
This is what we plan to work towards with our partners: creating the conditions for less litter in the Caspian Sea and giving coastal communities more opportunities to protect the sea on which so much of their future depends.
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