The fastest-growing economies tend to generate a lot of trash, plastic, and electronic waste (eWaste). They also cause more pollution because of population overload, greenhouse gas emissions, infrastructure limitations, insufficient land, and unhealthy or environmentally detrimental goods and services.
According to the Frontiers in Environmental Science organisation, the recycling rate for ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is below 50% due to the poor infrastructure and the inadequate logistics to make the waste business profitable. Thus, the region has to develop solutions to protect human beings and the environment.
Here are some of the innovations tech startups in Southeast Asia are using to make a difference:
Solar-powered water purification
Access to clean water is one of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Several solar-powered techniques are helping to deliver purified water to disadvantaged groups or those living in dry areas. One such innovation comes from Princeton University, which uses solar absorber gel technology to purify H2O by harnessing the sun's power. Healing Water International has its concept of solar-powered technology, using the energy to pump water for a five-step filtration process to make it clean for people.
Another tactic is disinfecting water using ultraviolet light (UV) radiation. According to the UN Climate Technology Centre & Network, UV light destroys the DNA in dangerous microorganisms, preventing them from multiplying. The World Health Organisation (WHO) lists further purification methods, such as using solar cookers to thermally disinfect the water or cleaning it using sun radiation on clear water bottles.
Nature-based solutions for economic restoration in Southeast Asia
Twenty years ago, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) developed the concept of nature-based solutions (NBS). The IUCN defines them as the steps we take to manage the environment sustainably, restoring natural and modified ecosystems, thereby benefiting humans and their surroundings.
NBS addresses challenges like climate change, food insecurity, water shortages, biodiversity losses, and other detrimental issues. An example of NBS is planting trees like mangroves in coastal areas that suffer from flooding. Additionally, trees are a natural way of reducing carbon in the atmosphere.
Environmentalists should avoid overusing water when planting natural solutions or degrading the soil using one type of non-native tree species. Plus, there should be some consideration for economic and social factors in ASEAN that may affect the community's ability to acquire NBS.
Green architecture and vertical farming
According to the Investing in ASEAN 2023 report, Southeast Asia produces its food on only 3% of its land. Vertical farming solves the limited land issue by planting crops in vertically stacked racks and ensuring their efficient growth through technologies like sensors and robotics.
Dickson Despommier, professor of Public and Environmental Health at Columbia University, and his students get credit for coming up with the vertical farming idea. It makes growing crops more sustainable, conserves water, maximises limited spaces, reduces the need for fertilisers, and enables farmers to monitor food yields.
Green architecture focuses on constructing sustainable buildings with natural or eco-friendly materials, reducing waste and pollution, and using water and energy efficiently.
Sustainable transportation solutions
According to the United Nations, sustainable transportation involves ensuring people's mobility in safe, affordable, accessible, and efficient ways while minimising carbon emissions and other environmental impacts. It saves on fuel and vehicle costs, creates jobs in the sector, declutters traffic that contributes to emissions and reduces pollution.
Sustainable solutions include driving electric vehicles and bikes, seeking alternative fuels like hydrogen and biodiesel, low-carbon shipping, increasing car-charging ports, establishing electric battery replacement centres, and more.
Waste-to-energy technologies
The waste-to-energy (WTE) industry is helping to reduce garbage by incinerating it and converting it to produce power. The technology's origin is Manlove, Alliott & Co. Ltd., an engineering company from Nottingham, England. The sector is on target to almost double to USD 6.85 billion by 2029.
According to a report, a shocking 11 million tonnes of plastic waste pollute our oceans, making up 85% of marine debris. The Frontiers in Environmental Science organisation described the plastic waste disposal problem as a pressing issue for the region.
Nevertheless, companies like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are making a difference. For example, Mitsubishi purchased Singapore-based TuasOne, a WTE plant that incinerates 35% of the city's trash, converting the waste into energy. Even though burning garbage generates carbon dioxide, landfills are worse because they pollute the soil and generate the much more potent gas methane.
While living in one of the fastest-growing economies is beneficial, communities must take precautions to maintain a habitable and healthy environment for all. Some steps include planting trees, using zero-waste practices like reusable packaging, and avoiding non-recyclable products. By adopting these eco-friendly solutions listed above, tech startups in Southeast Asia will benefit long-term.
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