The 2nd Knowledge Sharing Program on ASEAN-Korea Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Management (IMSWM), held from 9 to 13 June 2025 in Bali, Indonesia, marked a key milestone in strengthening regional collaboration on advancing sustainable waste management practices across ASEAN and Korea.

The five-day program brought together policymakers and experts from across ASEAN Member States and Korea to explore and share experience on innovative approaches to waste management. Through a combination of seminars, consultation sessions, and site visits, the programme served as a platform for in-depth knowledge exchange and dialogue on waste management strategies, policies, and technologies.

The program started with an introduction to the IMSWM project and progress review of its project components, followed by seminars exploring the interlinkages between climate change and waste management. The participants also discussed challenges and opportunities in the field using national and local case studies from Indonesia.

During the sessions, key topics on waste management including plastic pollution, extended producer responsibility (EPR), investment strategies, and circular economy were discussed. The participant also gained insights on policy experiences from Korea and ASEAN Member States, particularly on EPR system and the use of innovative technologies. The participants also went for field visit to ecoBali Recycling to gain first-hand understanding of waste sorting processes, material recovery facilities, and decentralised waste management systems. These visits offered valuable insights into how local initiatives and private sector innovations can contribute to effective IMSWM models.

The programme concluded with a review of outcomes achieved during the first two years of project implementation and a forward-looking discussion on the design of the third training programme. The closing ceremony reaffirmed the shared commitment of ASEAN and the Korea to continued collaboration in promoting environmentally sound waste management and sustainable development in the region.