Thailand’s capital and economic powerhouse, Bangkok, is home to 5.4 million people across 50 districts. Once a small riverside fortress, it has grown into one of Southeast Asia’s most modern and dynamic cities. However, rapid growth and industrialization have led to a sharp increase in waste generation—exceeding 9,000 tons daily in 2024—driven by migration, tourism, and urban sprawl.
Defined by its historic khlongs (canals) and proximity to the ocean, Bangkok’s geography has long shaped its development. Today, it also exposes the city to growing climate risks, including flooding and rising sea levels.
Through the Urban Ocean program, Bangkok is building on Thailand’s national circular economy agenda to reduce waste leakage and boost resilience. The city is advancing recycling, composting, and community-driven solutions that transform waste from a challenge into an opportunity for positive change.
Project Statement
Reducing Landfilled Waste and Marine Litter in Bangkok tackles the city’s challenges by activating collaborative and cross-sectoral efforts, rooted in effectuating change on the ground and building momentum for a circular and resilient Bangkok with resilience co-benefits.
The Project Statement outlines the city’s vision for the project and the impact it aims to achieve, highlighting the urgency of the issue and the importance of taking immediate action.
Circularity Assessment Protocol (CAP) Report
Between March and May 2023, a team from the Circularity Informatics Lab at the University of Georgia conducted fieldwork in Bangkok, with support from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) and in close coordination with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Urban Ocean team.
The CAP, developed by the Circularity Informatics Lab, is a standardized method of collecting community-level data on plastic usage to inform decision-makers and support targeted solutions to plastic leakage.
City Waste Management Profile
Bangkok’s profile highlights challenges in solid-waste management, including high daily waste volumes, limited landfill space, and plastic leakage into waterways. Key opportunities include improving waste separation at source, increasing recycling infrastructure, and strengthening public engagement.
The City Waste Management Profile evaluates a city’s waste management system, identifying risks and vulnerabilities to support resilience, reduce plastic pollution, and foster locally tailored, circular solutions.
Urban Ocean is a capacity-building and accelerator program to end ocean plastic pollution and build more resilient communities in cities. Urban Ocean champions circular economy principles, builds awareness of ocean plastic, assesses waste management systems and supports cities to develop projects that address the interrelated challenges of ocean plastics and resilience. Since 2020, the program has been implemented in cities across Asia and Latin America. The program is jointly implemented by Resilient Cities Network, Ocean Conservancy and The Circulate Initiative.