Borealis-backed Project STOP: Transforming Waste Management in Banyuwangi, Indonesia

Borealis-backed Project STOP: Transforming Waste Management in Banyuwangi, Indonesia

(IN BRIEF) Project STOP, a collaboration between Borealis and Systemiq, has achieved significant milestones in its mission to improve waste management in Indonesia. Since its inception, over 400,000 individuals have gained access to waste services, leading to the collection of over 60,000 metric tons of waste, including 9,000 metric tons of plastic. The program has also created almost 300 full-time jobs and implemented initiatives like Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau, focusing on the full regency level and providing services to over 13,500 individuals within just three months of its launch. With strong support from the Banyuwangi government and Borealis’ commitment to finance further expansions, Project STOP aims to provide waste collection services to 2 million people and collect 230,000 metric tons of waste annually, showcasing its dedication to environmental sustainability and community well-being.

(PRESS RELEASE) VIENNA, 21-Mar-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Reflecting on the year 2023, Project STOP, co-founded by Borealis and Systemiq, has already marked major milestones and made significant impacts. From the inception of Project STOP to the end of December 2023, around 400,000 individuals gained access to comprehensive waste services through Project STOP. Many of these individuals are now using formal waste collection services for the first time, which is an important step in improving community well-being and environmental sustainability.

Since its inception in 2017, Project STOP, hand-in-hand with its governmental and non-governmental partners, has created almost 300 full-time jobs across all Project STOP locations. These jobs, which support the local economies, vary from waste collection and material sorting to waste system management and administrative roles.

Furthermore, more than 60,000 metric tons of waste, including nearly 9,000 metric tons of plastic, have been successfully collected through Project STOP as of December 2023. This not only stops pollution from entering the environment, but it also shows the program’s direct, tangible contributions to responsible waste management.

Project STOP’s ‘system enabler’ approach entails building the waste management system together with governments at the local level over several years, then stepping back so that the local units of governance can fully operate their own systems. In 2023, Project STOP handed over operations in its second and third cities – Pasuruan and Jembrana – after nearly four years operating on the ground in each location. While Project STOP continues to provide light-touch support to past locations on an as-needed basis, these handovers closed the first phase of Project STOP’s work, which focused on creating programs at a sub-regency level.

The Project STOP scale-up program, Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau, in the Banyuwangi Regency of East Java, is focusing on the full regency level and shifted into implementation mode by opening a large-scale materials recovery facility (MRF) and launching initial service rollouts. Only three months after its inauguration in September 2023, the facility is already providing access to waste services to more than 13,500 individuals in 12 villages.

The program has built upon a long-standing strategic partnership with the Banyuwangi government, a collaboration highlighted by the direct backing of Ipuk Fiestiandani, the Banyuwangi Regent. She has emphasized the ongoing global waste issue and stressed the imperative need for cooperation among stakeholders to prevent environmental waste leakage. Ipuk has expressed Banyuwangi Regency’s commitment to Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau, striving for tangible improvements in both environmental health and the well-being of Banyuwangi residents.

“We are very proud to further extend our commitment to Project STOP, striving to provide Indonesia’s first Regency-wide waste management system, enabling access to sustainable waste collection to all residents in Banyuwangi—fully true to our purpose of reinventing essentials for sustainable living,” says Thomas Gangl, Borealis CEO. “Borealis will fully finance the construction of a second material recovery facility under the Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau expansion and the roll-out of waste services to an additional 250,000 people in the region,” he further adds.

The success of Project STOP can be largely attributed to its meaningful collaborations and close relationships with various Indonesian government bodies, including the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs (CMMAI), the National Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) and the Banyuwangi regency government.

Ultimately, the Project STOP partners are aiming to provide waste collection services to 2 million people, creating over 1,000 jobs and collecting 230,000 metric tons of waste annually, including 25,000 metric tons of plastic.

As noted by Ben Dixon, Partner, Systemiq, “These achievements were only possible through the work of our visionary partners, notably including the government of Indonesia and our strategic partners from across the public, private and nonprofit sectors. We are proud of Project STOP’s accomplishments to date and hope that our efforts can help inspire ever broadening impacts in the future.”

For more information about Project STOP please visit: www.stopoceanplastics.com

About Project STOP
Launched in 2017 by Borealis and Systemiq, Project STOP (STop Ocean Plastics) works hand-in-hand with city governments to create effective circular waste management systems in high-need areas of Southeast Asia. The initiative supports cities with technical expertise to achieve zero-leakage of waste, increase recycling, build economically sustainable programmes, creating new jobs and reducing the harmful impact of mismanaged waste on public health, tourism, and fisheries. The first city partnership was established in 2017 in the municipality of Muncar, East Java, followed by others in Pasuruan, East Java and Jembrana, Bali. Between February 2022 and June 2023, all three Project STOP city partnerships were fully handed over to the local regency governments.

Now the programme expands to the Banyuwangi regency—combining a regency level waste system model with a material aggregator into a circular waste and recycling solution that can transform waste economics.

For more information on Project STOP:
Website: www.stopoceanplastics.com
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About Borealis
Borealis is one of the world’s leading providers of advanced and sustainable polyolefin solutions. In Europe, Borealis is also an innovative leader in polyolefins recycling and a major producer of base chemicals. We leverage our polymer expertise and decades of experience to offer value-adding, innovative and circular material solutions for key industries such as consumer products, energy, healthcare, infrastructure and mobility.

With operations in over 120 countries and head offices in Vienna, Austria, Borealis employs around 6,000 people. In 2022, we generated a net profit of EUR 2.1 billion. OMV, the Austria-based international oil and gas company, owns 75% of our shares. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), owns the remaining 25%.

In re-inventing essentials for sustainable living, we build on our commitment to safety, our people, innovation and technology, and performance excellence. We are accelerating the transformation to a circular economy of polyolefins and expanding our geographical footprint to better serve our customers around the globe. Our operations are augmented by two important joint ventures: Borouge (with ADNOC, headquartered in the UAE); and Baystar™ (with TotalEnergies, based in the US).
www.borealisgroup.com | www.borealiseverminds.com

About Systemiq
Systemiq was founded in 2016 to drive the achievement of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals by transforming markets and business models in five key systems: nature and food, materials and circularity, energy, urban areas and sustainable finance. A certified B-Corp, Systemiq combines strategic advisory with high-impact on-the-ground work, and partners with business, finance, policy makers and civil society to deliver systems change. Systemiq has offices in Brazil, France, Indonesia, the Netherlands and the UK. Find out more at www.systemiq.earth.

Media Contact:

Borealis:
Borealis Group Media Desk
Virginia Wieser, Lena Lehner, Karin Schober
Tel: +43 1 22 400 899 (Vienna, Austria)
E-mail: media@borealisgroup.com

Systemiq:
Arapa Efendi, Senior Communications Officer, Project STOP
Tel.: +62 811 1053 3827 (Indonesia)
e-mail: arapa.efendi@systemiq.earth

SOURCE: Borealis AG