Dutch Waste- and Circular Economy solutions for Thailand and Malaysia

October 21, 2019

From 6 to 11 October Holland Circular Hotspot’s Freek van Eijk had the honor to participate in the Waste and Circular Economy mission to Thailand and Malaysia under the guidance of Herman Huisman, one of the foremost public waste managers in the Netherlands. The collaborative spirit in the group was high and the organisation excellent by both the Dutch Ebassy in Thailand and the Dutch Embassy in Malaysia.

Pictures: Freek van Eijk, Holland Circular Hotspot, copyright

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Bangkok

In Bangkok, Thailand a well-visited seminar, a site visit to a modern waste-to-energy installation and a reception were organised by the Dutch Embassy. The waste-to-energy as a part of a bigger recycling and Circular Economy strategy got a lot of attention.  The reception at Dutch residence afterwards, allowed for good networking with local stakeholders and further discussion of the topic. At the Ministry of Science and Technology Rick Passenier, founder and director of PACE Business Partners, had organised a dedicated session on the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of setting up a Thai Circular Economy Hub as a catalyst for circular development in Thailand.

Kuala Lumpur

The visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia coincided with the IGEM, ASEAN’s largest green technology business and innovation platform. Also in Malaysia the waste management challenges are high but the Malaysian minster brought actionable intentions to the table and all are looking for inspiration to the Netherlands. We have the technology and approach, but the financing has to be worked out further.
Herman Huisman, Kees Kwant and Freek van Eijk were jury members in the MDBC (Malaysian Dutch Business Council) Innovation and Sustainability Awards (MISA), and this year the focus was on Waste Management, Digital Green Tech and Renewable Energy. The awards worked as an incentive for groundbreaking local start-ups to make a difference.