SINGAPORE: Against the backdrop of the UNFCCC COP28 conference which kicked off in November in Dubai and at the tail end of the “hottest year so far in recorded history”, Eco-Business launched Wasted, a new impact documentary that puts the spotlight on Asia’s mounting waste issues and questions why we are wasting the opportunity to fix the problem.
Wasted calls on us to shift our perspective and open our eyes to the reality of our trashed planet in this new era of the Anthropocene. It highlights the connections between waste and human health, and its intersection with the climate crisis.
It is a visual exploration across Asia, from landfills to recycling plants, cinematic aerials to intimate portraits. With a focus on Singapore, India, South Korea, and Vietnam, Wasted delves into the region’s key issues and why collective and individual action is urgently needed to solve the worsening issue.
The documentary also urgently calls on Asia’s policymakers to implement extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation to ensure that polluters pay for the waste that they generate through their products and services.
Wasted is the latest independently-produced documentary by Eco-Business, produced by founder and managing director Jessica Cheam and directed by Fraser Morton. The same duo was behind Eco-Business’s award-winning independent films on the polar regions, From Asia to Antarctica (2018) and Arctic Awakening (2019), which captured the link between melting ice sheets in the North and South poles and Asia.
The film premiere, which took place at Singapore’s arthouse cinema The Projector at Golden Mile Tower, was followed by a panel discussion and provided the audience with a behind-the-scenes discussion of the making of the film and the impact it seeks to achieve.
The panel, which was moderated by Jessica Cheam, founder and managing director of Eco-Business, included Prashant Singh, CEO, of Blue Planet Environmental Solutions; Roy Ng, Creative Producer, Eco-Business; and Fraser Morton, Executive Producer, Eco-Business.
“Wasted was a film I’ve wanted to make since years ago when I first visited a landfill in Asia. It was an eye-opening, gut-wrenching sort of experience. I remember vividly the smell, the sheer volume of the trash, people living around it, it towering over us. It sparked a deep interest in waste issues and everything related to it. It’s a fascinating subject. It touches all of us every single day yet we hardly think about where our trash goes and how it is all connected in the ecosystems we inhabit,” said Cheam.
“With this film, we want to show everyone the problem and provoke questions around why we are wasting our resources and squandering opportunities to fix our systems when it is staring at us in the face.”
“We need Asia’s regulators to enact extended producer laws immediately to solve this crisis. Waste is a huge contributor to global carbon emissions. If we fix this issue, we will address climate change, as well as improve human health, safeguard livelihoods, and protect our natural ecosystems from further degradation,” she added.
Annupa Mattu Ahi, vice president of public affairs, and head of Asia at TOMRA, said: “It was an honour to participate in this documentary film. While we all know of the challenges throughout the world, and especially in Southeast Asia, providing powerful visual and narrative reminders to leaders and people in the region is key in working towards solving this urgent waste crisis. We have proven technology to address these issues – these solutions simply need to be scaled. I hope that this initiative will work towards bringing decision makers together to address and solve this challenge – now.”
Prashant Singh, co-founder and chief executive officer, of Blue Planet, said: “As we stand at a crucial moment in our planet’s history, Wasted reminds us of the pressing need to tackle the global waste crisis. Being part of this impactful film, Blue Planet not only highlights the challenges of waste management but also offers practical solutions. Supporting Wastedaligns with our dedication to addressing the global waste issue. Blue Planet’s involvement aims to raise awareness, inspire action, and contribute to building a sustainable, waste-responsible world.”
Fraser Morton, executive producer, Eco-Business added: “If you want to talk about injustice in the world, waste is a good place to start. Waste is all around us yet we seldom notice it. Every single day, unsustainable products are designed, produced, and pumped into markets worldwide that will end their life after one single use and then end up in nature. Brands must be held accountable for what they make and play a part in taking responsibility in the recycling process so that plastics and other dangerous materials never make it into ecosystems in the first place.”
EB Impact, Eco-Business’s non-profit sister organisation, will be launching a series of public education campaigns around the film’s spotlight issues in schools, offices, and homes across Asia. We invite all partners to join by writing to hello@ebimpact.org
