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Reports

September 2026

Findings and Policy Opportunities from Circularity Assessment Protocols across APEC Economies

Published Under

SOM Steering Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation (SCE), Ocean and Fisheries Working Group (OFWG)

Accessed

1

Pages

28

This report presents findings and policy opportunities from Circularity Assessment Protocols (CAPs) in 25 cities in seven APEC economies, including Chile; Indonesia; Malaysia; the Philippines; Thailand; United States; and Viet Nam, by the University of Georgia's Circularity Informatics Lab. Using standardized, community-level data, the CAP serves as a qualitative and quantitative baseline across seven spokes: brand input, community perspectives, product design, use and reuse, collection infrastructure, end of cycle material management, and environmental leakage. Key findings highlight that single-use plastics dominate packaging and food service across most economies, reuse and refill infrastructure remains nascent, and tobacco products and food-related plastics are the most prevalent litter categories. The report identifies actionable policy opportunities to advance circular economy goals including extended producer responsibility, source segregation, and composting expansion. APEC leadership can amplify community-led circularity efforts by sharing knowledge across economies, supporting local governments, and driving coordinated policy action to scale solutions.