About - Prevent Plastics

About Prevent Plastics

Started in May 2020, Prevent Plastics is a four-year project funded by the European Union with the aim to promote sustainable production and consumption patterns in Myanmar through raised awareness and best practices on waste management. The project is a joint approach of sequa gGmbH, Myanmar Banks Association, STENUM Asia & Thant Myanmar. It is based on the experiences gained during the SWITCH-Asia funded projects SMART Myanmar 1 and 2 (2013-2019), which concentrated on the Myanmar garment industry. Prevent Plastics relies on these project outcomes and focuses on waste management in industrial zones, plastics reduction and its avoidance.

Prevent Plastics cooperates with factories, local SMEs and communities based projects in Yangon and around Myanmar. The purpose of the project is to introduce sustainable waste management practices for Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and support all relevant stakeholders with tailored action plans, capacity building measures, and Public-Private Dialogue.

The project raises awareness among consumers on plastic avoidance in cooperation with Myanmar retailers. It supports eco-friendly packaging and carrier bag alternatives to make them more widely available and promotes green finance possibilities.

Partners

sequa gGmbH

sequa gGmbH is the EU’s leading agency for strengthening business membership organisations. Its shareholders are Germany‘s top business membership organizations (DIHK, ZDH, BDA, BDI) and GIZ. sequa has managed around 1,000 projects in more than 100 developing countries in the areas of business membership organization capacity building, vocational training, private sector promotion and social dialogue. In addition, sequa has designed and implemented more than 90 EU financed projects such as SMART Myanmar 1,2 and SMART Textile & Garments.

Thant Myanmar

Thant Myanmar is a Myanmar organisation born out of a movement to fight plastic pollution. It registered in February 2019 as a non-profit company continuing its campaigns and public awareness-raising but also doing contractual work around the topic of waste management, surveys and research, development of toolkits and guides for the private sector. Now our clients range from the World Bank to UN programs, NGOs and private sector industries developing waste reduction efforts in their specific industry.

Community SWM is at the heart of our mission to reduce waste. Combine grass-roots initiatives with a structured method for sustained waste collection and community funding. Building on this basic structure and work on more challenging topics like plastic reduction, waste segregation and composting. Since October 2019 Thant Myanmar set up these structures in the largest city of Myanmar, Yangon creating a better waste management system for over 100.000 people.

STENUM Asia

STENUM Asia is a resource efficiency consultancy, specialises in delivering low cost and even no-cost solutions for saving energy, chemicals, water and other material resources in enterprises across India and several South Asian countries. Since 2007, the STENUM Asia team has brought significant value addition for more than 600 clients across retail, hospitality, automotive, light engineering, metal finishing, financial services and healthcare sectors. STENUM Asia has provided expert services to the SMART Myanmar and Tha Bar Wa projects in Myanmar already, hence have a good working knowledge of the industrial scenario at Myanmar.

Associates

City Mart Holding Company Limited (CMHL)

City Mart Holding Company Limited (CMHL), Myanmar’s leading consumer business and retail chain, has engaged in plastic reduction messaging and campaigns with their consumers for several years. As an Associate Partner, CMHL will collaborate in tandem to promote Environmental Awareness & Plastic Reduction ‘Behavioral Switch’ to consumers in Myanmar. CMHL in partnership with Prevent Plastics Myanmar, will also develop trainings, procedures & methods towards a Sustainable Retail Chain.

Our Team

Denis Schaefer

Team Leader

As Team Leader Denis is in charge for the successful implementation of the project in Myanmar. Before joining Prevent Plastics he worked in the private sector and was in response for the South East Asia operation of an international company. Denis has a demonstrated history of working on top management positions as well as managing development projects. He has over 5 years of multicultural leadership experience in Asia. He holds a Bachelor’s degree focused on Communication, PR and Media Studies.

Hay Mar Swe

Admin & Finance Officer

Hay Mar Swe, from Mandalay, completed a Bachelor’s degree from Mandalay Yadanarbon University majoring in Myanmar along with a Diploma Degree in Social Science from Mandalay pre-college program. She also completed LCCI Level 3 (UK) diploma and is currently pursuing ACCA. She started joining Prevent Plastics Myanmar in May 2020 as a finance and administrative officer. Her top responsibilities include preparing monthly financial reports, maintaining cash control, assisting and complying with audits and administrative tasks. She has over 7 years of working experience in finance and accounting at NGOs/INGOs.

Chan Let Mon

Project Coordinator

Mon is from Taunggyi in Southern Shan State, she holds a Master of Environmental Engineering Management degree in Asia Institute of Technology in Thailand (2007). She has spent the past nine years working in local Non-Government Organisations in Myanmar. Especially she has been involved in Youth Empowerment program for Environmental Conservation issue since 2011. She joined sequa gGmbH for Prevent Plastics Project in September 2020. As Project Coordinator, she is responsible for coordinating activities with partner organisations, assisting the Team Leader, managing general office management and administration.

Naing Ye Aung

Technical Expert

Naing Ye Aung is a Technical Expert for Sustainable Waste Management at Prevent Plastics and passionate about promoting energy literacy and embrace the ideals of environmental health, personal responsibility and civic engagement which can support more resilient and sustainable practices within our global community. He completed a Bachelor’s degree from Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vermont (USA) specialised major in Environmental Science and Renewable Energy Ecological Design with minor in Biology and Natural Resources Management. He has over 4 years of relevant working experience in technical and practical knowledge of effective working relationships, extensive fieldwork, and professional development of implementations and communications approaches in different levels of the environment.

Yupar Mon Mon Oo

Team Assistant

Yupar brings a unique blend of skills and a profound passion for environmental activism to the team. As a recent addition to the team, she is already making waves with her dedication and determination to positively impact the planet.
With a passion for the environment that is truly infectious, Yupar is committed to raising awareness about the pressing issue of plastic waste. She firmly believes that the power of the youth can drive meaningful change.
Yupar’s primary role is to provide crucial support to her fellow members, helping them excel in their activities and contribute effectively towards project goals.

Naw Julie Aung

Technical Expert

Driven and focused productivity consultant, climate activist, currently technical expert of Prevent Plastics has responsibility for leading and propositions with the team leader in sustainable waste management activities. She has developed extensive practical and technical expertise in the management and mentoring of multinational and multicultural teams, running and operating entities that facilitate cleaner, on time, in full, error-free industrial manufacturing process flow of MSMEs enterprises.
She earned a Bachelor of Engineering with Honors in Civil Engineering in 2007 from Yangon Technological University (Y.T.U) and minor program in lean production Industrial Engineering (Technical University of Munich TUMx). Maintains high standards of integrity and ethics in her dealings with all stakeholders.

Wai Pwint Wabo

Communication & Engagement Manager

Wai Wabo’s profession & passion harmonise to promote SCP actively. She has over six years of experience in enhancing the communication of the EU cooperation & value in the Myanmar business sector. Graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor Degree in Management & minor in Media Communications from Webster University, Wai has seven years of sportsmanship experience from being part of the national sailing team.
Environmental Activists at heart advocating for single-use plastic reduction from an individual behavioural switch level to nationwide.
Walking toward zero waste with her utmost ability by practising what she preaches.