Indonesia is one of the most plastic-laden countries in the world, only narrowly beaten out by China for the title of top plastics polluter on earth. Almost four million tonnes of plastic waste is produced each year, with over a million tonnes ending up in the ocean. The root cause of this situation is a lack of effective waste management leading to trash often just getting thrown into nearby waterways. Much of this plastic refuse clogs up Indonesian rivers that are used for drinking water, which places a huge burden on Indonesian citizens. Plastic pollution is also a concern for local wildlife.
The government has tried a variety of solutions for this problem, including boosting recycling efforts, commissioning ships to scoop up waste, and occasionally running programs to directly pay farmers and fishers to pick up trash. Non-profits like PlasticDiet have lobbied countless municipalities to ban single use plastic bags and are attempting to campaign for an end to plastic subsidies as well.
As a result of all this effort, significant progress has been made, with the government announcing a reduction of plastic waste as high as one third compared to two years ago. However, moving beyond this point has become difficult as the low hanging fruit is plucked away. The official goal is to reduce plastics by 70% - more than double the current rate – by as soon as next year. For now the government is aiming to be completely plastic free by 2040. To hit these ambitious goals, progressively more advanced and innovative technological solutions are needed to address the issue.
A number of startups oriented around plastics removal and recycling have popped up in the last few years, many of them based in the next-door nation of Singapore. However, few of them operate in Indonesia itself, despite the country’s huge need. Those that do have produced inspiring results, such as ReBricks Indonesia’s efforts to turn recycled plastic waste into building materials. If Indonesia wants to make progress on plastics removal than it will need a whole lot more ReBricks!
