Cities in Motion #3
Jakarta's Plastic Waste Revolution
6 minute read
It all started with a simple question:
'How can cities become more sustainable?'
To help find an answer, we teamed up with sustainability broadcaster James Stewart. Together, and behind the wheel of IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6, we embarked on a journey in four cities to learn and be inspired.
This is the third of five articles on sustainable cities we visited, including London, Frankfurt, Jakarta, and Los Angeles. Read on to discover more about what James experienced during his travels and meet people dedicated to making a difference.
Jakarta is a fascinating city full of contrasts. As Indonesia's capital and largest city, this vibrant megalopolis left me with unforgettable impressions. Meeting its citizens and environmental activists while seeing the extent of plastic pollution showed the city's great hope and potential, as well as the enormous challenges it faces. My vehicle for this trip was a Hyundai IONIQ 6 – a good example of upcycling, as seen in its seats made from recycled PET fabric and floor mats woven out of discarded fishing nets depending on the trim level. It was an eye-opening journey where I learned that turning the tide against plastic pollution starts with the youth and seeing the value in waste.
First steps towards more sustainability
Unlike my previous stops in London or Frankfurt, which are regularly cited as some of the most sustainable cities in the world, Jakarta is just beginning its path toward effectively combating pollution in the air, on land, and especially in the water. The city suffers from smog, water contamination, and a number of other environmental issues that affect not only the natural surroundings but also the health of all those living there. Considering all this, why was Jakarta included in the ‘Cities in Motion’ series? The answer is that the places facing the most significant challenges often produce the most inspiring solutions and outstanding teachers.
The goal of plastic-free rivers
My guide for this insightful trip was the dynamic and knowledgeable Lathifha Awiliya Mashudi from Waste4Change. As an environmental organization and Hyundai partner, Waste4Change goes beyond waste management to foster lasting behavioral change through research, education, and community work.
I met Lathifha in the east of the city, at the Bekasi River. Straight away, I was impressed by her commitment, expertise and infectious positivity. As our first stop, Lathifha had arranged for us to assist aboard the Sea Hamster waste removal boat. The vessel and crew are part of a collaboration between Waste4Change and the local authorities. Under hot, tropical conditions, we made our way up and down the river, retrieving waste. The amount of collected waste was staggering. There were heaps of plastic debris in every form: plastic bags, wrappers, cups, drink and shampoo bottles, flip-flops, styrofoam, broken toys, and whole floating islands of trash. As impressive as it was, this collection was just a drop in the (plastic-filled) ocean. Yet, despite the seemingly endless flow of plastic waste, the crews were out there every day doing their best to make a change.
According to the UN, Indonesia is the second-largest marine polluter in the world after China. During our travels through the city, Lathifha told me that Jakarta alone produces around 54,000 lbs of waste a day! Much of this is dumped in the rivers, and up to three-quarters of the waste is plastic. Each piece of plastic has the potential to cause harm to both humans and the environment. There is no such thing as an acceptable amount!
A new mindset for less plastic waste
After collecting the plastic waste from the river, we drove with our IONIQ 6 to one of the city's many waste recovery facilities to see how it was processed. On the way, Lathifha explained that the real aim is to stop plastic from getting into the rivers and waterways in the first place. For her, responsible waste management was the first step in achieving this. The recovery facility we visited was a busy and noisy hub of activity where workers carefully sorted out the various types of waste that had been collected and dropped off at the center.
A lot of plastic waste comes from a lack of awareness and
a throw-away culture.
Lathifha Awiliya Mashudi,
Senior Consult for Waste4Change
During our visit to the facility, Lathifha noted that it is all too common for people to use streets or rivers as trash cans, something we witnessed on several occasions during our trip. However, she said it is crucial to understand the context before judging these people too quickly. Aspects such as a lack of education, insufficient waste processing facilities, and the fact that 28% of city residents are living in (or close to) poverty. Finally, a lot of the plastic waste that ends up in Jakarta is produced in Western countries. It is a complex global issue, where Indonesia is just one of many participants. We all have a role in reducing the amount of plastic we produce or throw away.
Sustainable cities are only achievable when the population's
basic needs are met.
Lathifha Awiliya Mashudi, Senior Consult for Waste4Change
Making the sustainable switch
Today, government programs and non-profit organizations like Waste4Change are meeting the challenges of creating a new mindset. The fundamental goal is to change people's behavior by helping them understand how to effectively reduce their environmental impact while offering incentives that turn waste into a valuable commodity. The success of such programs is seen through community and business engagement and even financial incentives, such as the Plasticpay bottle deposit initiative. We stopped by one of the many Plasticpay drop-off points across the city. The facilities are basically reverse vending machines, where instead of putting money in to get a plastic bottle out, you put a plastic bottle in and get cash out!
Plastic bottles are better being turned into money than thrown in a river.
Lathifha Awiliya Mashudi,
Senior Consult for Waste4Change
Such mindset-altering initiatives may seem small at first, but their potential to bring about lasting cultural change is enormous. Each step and every small measure helps create a gradual shift in perception and behavior.
The waste hierarchy
As we navigated the busy roadways to our next stop, I had the opportunity to talk in-depth with Lathifha, who explained the "waste hierarchy" and its importance. The idea behind the waste hierarchy is that the further up a waste stream you act, the better. For example, recycling, upcycling, repairing, and reusing products is better than burning them for energy or dumping them in landfills. The best course of action is naturally to reduce waste at the source. By designing and producing items with as little or no waste, we can take a significant step towards advancing the coming circular economy and ending waste as we know it! That's why continued innovations in sustainable materials and upcycling are essential. There is still much exciting work ahead, but the path to get there is clear. With upcycling on our minds, we pulled into the Kertabumi Recycling Center to meet another inspiring woman and innovator and discover how she is giving plastic bottles a new purpose and value.
We need to recognize
the potential value waste materials bring.
Santi Novianti, Financial Director,
Kertabumi Recycling
From plastic to fantastic
The hidden value of waste plastic was on full display as we visited Kertabumi. This social enterprise collects plastic bottles and turns them into furniture, construction materials, and even attractive souvenirs. It starts with washing, drying, chopping, molding, and baking. While showing us around, Social Entrepreneur Santi Novianti also helped clarify how upcycling differs from traditional recycling. With upcycling, waste is transformed into something new and better than before rather than something of lower value or use. This new approach to waste is at the heart of the view of plastic.
The youth is the key
Much like my time in London, the final stop of this journey was a chance to hear from the next generation, who perhaps are our greatest hope for real change. As we pulled into one of the high schools in Jakarta with our IONIQ 6, we were warmly met by the head teacher and a crowd of excited students. Like several schools in Jakarta, the students here are involved in the Hyundai Continue CSV initiative, which is a part of Hyundai's commitment to a sustainable future.
As part of the initiative, Hyundai collaborates with Save the Children and Waste4Change to raise awareness among teenagers about plastic waste management, encouraging them to get involved. Plastic waste is not just something to discard, but it can be repurposed or recycled into products with higher economy value. This program consists of installing plastic bottles drop-off points in some schools and RPTRA (Integrated Child-Friendly Public Spaces). So far, it has provided students from 20 schools with a comprehensive knowledge of the circular economy, waste management, and climate change and has helped foster a much-needed future pool of energized and informed environmental advocates.
Chatting with these young people, I was blown away by their passion and determination to address the issue of plastic waste. Unlike much of the older generation, they have a clear awareness of the issues and the actions needed, including broader systemic changes. Jakarta still has a long way to go, and the scale of plastic waste must be considered. However, in the presence of these young environmental idealists and activists like Lathifha, there is a brighter and more sustainable future ahead. In the right hands, there is hope that we can turn the tide.
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