Author
Asst Prof Dita Birahayu
Organisation/Institution
Universitas Hang Tuah
Country
INDONESIA
Panel
Environmental Law
Title
Harmonizing Cross-Border Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations in ASEAN: Driving the EV Battery Circular Economy as a Pillar of Sustainability and Regional Integration
Abstract
The energy transition in ASEAN, fueled by the rapid mass adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) and the region's abundance of critical minerals (e.g., nickel), presents a dual challenge. This rapid growth is projected to result in a significant volume of hazardous waste from end-of-life (EOL) batteries. Without robust legal frameworks, this transition risks undermining the pillar of Sustainability and converting an economic opportunity into an environmental crisis. The core legal gap lies in the absence of a unified, cross-border Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system in ASEAN to manage the flow of EOL batteries. National EPR schemes, where they exist, are fragmented and incompatible. Objective: This research aims to critically analyze existing national EPR models and propose a harmonized regional legal framework to facilitate efficient cross-border battery recycling and management. This study employs a normative legal research methodology, utilizing comparative law analysis. It examines key regional ASEAN instruments (e.g., AHEEERR and energy cooperation plans) alongside national EPR regulations in major member states (e.g., Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore), contrasting them with global best practices (e.g., the European Union's Battery Regulation). The central argument is that the current fragmented national EPR systems impede the development of an efficient regional circular supply chain for battery recycling. The research proposes the necessity of a regional protocol or amendment under the ASEAN framework to establish uniform standards for producer obligations, battery labeling, and the transboundary movement of hazardous battery waste, thereby strengthening the pillar of Regional Integration. This research directly contributes to the development of Legal Knowledge for Sustainability, Justice, and Regional Integration. It offers a concrete legal roadmap for ASEAN to transform the looming EOL battery waste challenge into a structured circular economic opportunity, elevating environmental protection standards across the region.
Biography
Dita Birahayu, S.H., M.H., born in Bojonegoro, 28 August 1985. The author earned her Bachelor of Laws degree in 2008 at Brawijaya University Malang and; her Master of Law in 2010 at Brawijaya University Malang. The author is a permanent lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Hang Tuah University, Surabaya. Some of the published scientific papers some articles both national and international can be seen on Scopus and Google Scholar. SCOPUS: 57207827431, ID SINTA: 6661809, Address Jl. Arif Rahman Hakim Nomor 150 Surabaya-Jawa Timur.
