Country Focus
Indonesia in readiness for a sustainability agenda Indonesia is making the cut in its Industry 4.0 ambitions with a sustainability agenda. Sustainability through the recycling innovation was an overarching theme at the Plastics and Rubber (P&R) Indonesia show held in November last year in Jakarta. Organised by PT Pamerindo Indonesia, the show featured technology solutions for recycling, material economies and productivity across a range of industries.
From a top polluter to a waste-solution provider? A 2015 University of Georgia study alleging Indonesia as the world’s worst polluter of the oceans has pushed the country to right its wrongs, such as its commitment to reducing waste by 70% by 2025, and investing US$1 billion/year to curb waste accumulation in its oceans. The government has also struck deals with investors to create an infrastructure for this. However, not all Indonesians are convinced by the US study. Amelia Maran of the Indonesia Plastic Recyclers (IPR) refuted the 2015 study, opining that the sampling and information used were not obtained first hand from Indonesia. As well, the methodology used is under question by the Ministry of Industry. Meanwhile, Sutrisno of the 60-member GIATPI (Indonesia Woven Polyolefin Manufacturers Association) also said the Georgia study pitched “incorrect data”. He added, “When we make our products, we make it a point that we use recyclable materials.” While the waste management situation in Indonesia is far from perfect, challenges are being addressed, said Maran. “Government regulation is still lacking for effective recycling. Now, we are just starting to disseminate information to the public about recycling,” she said, adding that IPR is a relatively new organisation that has yet a clear vision of a circular economy. The association currently has 40 members, all of whom are recycling companies. Amelia Maran of IPR says that despite “Indonesia has a sizeable recycling the fact that Indonesia has a sizeable industry, with about 1.1 million tonnes/ recycling industry, it is still low at year of plastic waste recycled,” Maran 20% said. Yet, the rate is still low at 20%, she said, suggesting the need for more municipal recycling facilities (MRFs) and the implementation of a proper waste management/collection system. The plastic bag ban, specifically in retail markets, Maran observed has lacked the grit to curb waste. “Some supermarkets have started charging for plastic bags but this practice has been stopped, to avoid the bags landing up in landfills and thereafter in the oceans.” Plastic ban not a cure-all to waste problem PT Chandra Asri Petrochemical, Indonesia’s largest petrochemical company, is also of a mind that the bottom line of the waste problem is not the plastic itself but in how people manage waste. “Chandra Asri is focusing on educating people,” said Andri Wijaya, Engineer Technical Services. Wijaya and his colleague, Polymer Sales Executive Mario Saputra, also opined that there are solutions more viable than a ban. “We need to think of ways to recover energy from waste plastic as well as use the waste in road construction.” He offered that Chandra Asri is collaborating with the Ministry of People Housing and Public Works with its sustainable programme, whereby plastic waste is recycled into pellets, which are blended into a road bitumen mix, with the pellets making up 30% of the mix.
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JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019