Project Summary and Objectives:

If current trends continue, it is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. Still, worldwide plastic consumption is expected to quadruple during this time. Besides, plastics have become the fastest-growing source of industrial greenhouse gases emissions. Plastic pollution has numerous adverse economic, social, and environmental impacts. In particular, marine plastic pollution costs up to $2.5 billion per year in lost marine ecosystem services. Tackling plastic pollution will require multi-stakeholder collaboration and engagement.

The objective of this project is to contribute to the reduction of plastic pollution in coastal areas in four ASEAN target countries, contributing to the achievement of SDG 14: Life Below Water and SDG 12: Responsible Production and Consumption. EPPIC is a competition that will source innovative ideas from ASEAN countries for tackling local plastic challenges to contribute to widespread system-level change across the entire region.

The project intends to bring together citizens, local governments, and the private sector to identify pressing issues and collaborate in implementing effective solutions, in four countries - including Viet Nam, Thailand, Indonesia and The Philippines.

Expected outcomes:

EPPIC will be implemented over 4 years with the following expected outcomes:

OUTCOME 1: A portfolio of solutions is selected, supported and scaled-up through the EPPIC in four countries (Viet Nam, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines).

OUTCOME 2: Capacity building in Viet Nam for the prevention and reduction of plastic pollution, and networking and experience sharing in ASEAN countries are strengthened

OUTCOME 3: Plastic Ecosystem (legal, financial, technical) in Viet Nam and ASEAN, to ensure long-term sustainability, stimulated.

OUTCOME 4: A Portfolio of innovative solutions is selected, supported and scaled up through the EPPIC competition in 2 additional ASEAN countries (Cambodia and Lao PDR)

Project locations:

Viet Nam, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia and Lao PDR

More information, please visit the project's website: http://www.plasticchallenge.undp.org.vn/

NEWS:

Discover the Finalists!

Congratulations to all the participants to the Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge (EPPIC) 2020.

The following teams have been selected as the EPPIC Finalists by UNDP. They will start a 3-month incubation programme delivered by UNDP Impact Aim and Viet Nam Silicon Valley (VSV). Early 2021, they will get the opportunity to pitch their ideas in front of our panel of EPPIC judges. Four winners will receive up to USD 18,000 and enroll for a 9-month acceleration journey. Read more

Winners of the 2020 ASEAN-wide Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge (EPPIC) announced

Ha Noi, 26 January 2021 - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), the Viet Nam Administration of Sea and Islands (VASI), the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs have announced the four winners of the ASEAN-wide Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge (EPPIC) to combat plastic waste  in the coastal cities of Ha Long Bay (Viet Nam) and Koh Samui (Thailand) in 2020.

After a highly competitive  pitching competition, the four EPPIC winners were announced. They were Galaxy Biotech, Green Joy, CIRAC and Refill Day. They have each been awarded a USD$18,000 grant to apply the solutions in Ha Long Bay and Koh Samui, and will be enrolled in a 9-month impact acceleration programme delivered by UNDP Impact Aim, with a number of opportunities to connect with impact investing firms and other key development players in the ASEAN region. Read more

Discover the Finalists – EPPIC 2021

Congratulations to all participants of the Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge (EPPIC) 2021 on coming up with bright ideas to tackle plastic pollution in Mandalika and Samal Islands! We received over 140 applications this year, which made it extremely challenging for the UNDP team to select the finalists.

Based on our selection criteria, we have chosen 18 finalists for EPPIC 2021, who will join a three-month incubation program delivered by an incubator from the Philippines and Indonesia starting in July 2021. Through an extensive training on various topics such as circular economy, impact measurement and SDGs, marketing and crowdfunding, as well as networking opportunities, coaching sessions with mentors and field visits, the EPPIC Finalists will have the chance to develop and improve their proposed solutions further to maximize their impact and tailor their ideas to the local context.

On October 2021, the 18 finalists will pitch their ideas in front of the EPPIC judge panel, after which the Top 4 EPPIC winners will be selected based on the comprehensive evaluations by the competition judges. The four winners will receive up to USD 18,000 in equity-free seed funding and embark on a nine-month impact acceleration process. Moreover, the winners will be provided with opportunities to network with impact investing firms and other key development players in the ASEAN region. Read more

PUBLICATIONS:

• 15 lessons learned from running an innovation competition to tackle plastic pollution in the ASEAN region.
• 11 Lessons Learned from EPPIC 2021: Leveraging Sustainable Business Ecosystem in Marine Waste Management in Indonesia
• Booklet introducing the 14 innovations enrolled into the 3-month programme in 2020.
• Booklet introducing the 17 innovations enrolled into the 3-month programme in 2021.
• Read the story and innovations of the Finalists to the EPPIC in Viet Nam, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines