In June 2026, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) officially endorsed a best practice manual for the development of minimum standards and technical requirements for plastic packaging and labeling, to help governments across Southeast Asia develop more consistent national packaging standards.
The manual was created through the Southeast Asia Regional Program on Combating Marine Plastics (SEA-MaP) as a common reference for policymakers, standardization bodies, producer associations, and other stakeholders in the region. According to SEA-MaP, it “contains relevant regional and international case studies, as well as recommended best practices to drive sustainable packaging solutions.”
The manual is a guideline rather than a binding ASEAN-wide packaging regulation. However, one of its stated goals is to move ASEAN Member States toward greater harmonization of packaging standards and mutual recognition of labeling requirements.
The manual contains an overview and gap analysis of existing rules and standards of the plastic value chain across ASEAN Member States. The bulk of the document is organized around six recommended best practices supported by guiding principles, technical requirements, and case studies.
Food packaging and chemical safety
When originally planning the development of the manual, for food packaging specifically, ASEAN proposed in 2021 that technical requirements could address permitted substances and restrictions on harmful additives, fillers, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and flame retardants. The 2021-2025 action plan also called for consideration of maximum concentrations of chemicals permitted to migrate from packaging into food, standards for recycled material content, test methods to verify compliance, and protocols for monitoring implementation.
However, while the final manual lists “essential [ISO] Standards for Each Lifecycle Phase” of plastics, it does not address food packaging specifically nor does it discuss chemical migration or suggested bans on hazardous chemicals or chemical groups (FPF reported).
Phasing out single-use plastics
ASEAN also released a complementary Regional Guidebook on Phasing Out Single-Use Plastics, developed under the SEA-MaP program. It provides a framework for selecting and implementing single-use plastic reduction measures according to national circumstances, including consideration of policy instruments, institutional readiness, financing, stakeholder engagement, monitoring, and capacity needs.
Other ASEAN resources under development
ASEAN Member States have spent 2026 developing an extended producer responsibility (EPR) handbook and toolkit intended to guide countries in designing and implementing EPR systems. Consultations were held in February and June 2026. The work covers regional EPR status, core principles, and step-by-step implementation tools.
The organization is also working on guidance for recycled plastics and the plastic waste trade.
National regulations continue to develop
In June 2026, Indonesia adopted a new food packaging regulation establishing migration requirements, positive and negative substance lists, provisions for reusable packaging, and specific requirements for recycled food packaging (FPF reported). Thailand has also been updating its food contact material framework, including regulations addressing metals, glass, paper and board, bisphenols, epoxy derivatives, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (FPF reported, also here).
FPF commented on several other recent food packaging and waste-management developments in South and Southeast Asia, including changes affecting recycled PET for food contact, food contact paper and board, and plastic waste (FPF reported also here).
References
SEA-MaP (June 2026). “Best practice manual for development of minimum standards and technical requirements for plastic packaging and labeling.”
SEA-MaP (June 2026). “SEA-MaP dissemination event strengthens ASEAN knowledge exchange on plastic packaging, waste trade, and single-use plastics.”
SEA-MaP (June 2026). “Regional guidebook on phasing out single-use plastics.”
ASEAN Secretariat (May 2021). “ASEAN regional action plan for combating marine debris in the ASEAN member states (2021–2025).” (pdf)
SEA-MaP (March 2026). “Government consultation: Developing the regional guidebook on responsible plastic waste trade.”
SEA-MaP (February 2026). “Second technical consultation held to advance development of the ASEAN extended producer responsibility (EPR) handbook and toolkit.”
