Kuta, Bali, June 27, 2019 - Danone-AQUA, Circle K, Bali Wastu Lestari Foundation and the Bali Province Environmental Service launched a program to collect used plastic bottles and cups in an effort to encourage a more circular economy for a cleaner Bali. According to the Waste Flow and Packaging Collection Rate research released by the Department of Environmental Engineering, Bandung Institute of Technology, in 2017, only 26% of plastic waste is recycled in Bali, where the rest is taken to the Final Processing Site (TPA) or wasted into the environment . Through this program, the community will be involved in collecting used plastic bottles and cups, to be reused as raw materials for the recycling industry. This effort is also expected to reduce the amount of used plastic packaging that has the potential to become waste that pollutes the environment.

The main objective of this program is to educate the public to sort and collect 600ml, 1,500ml, or glass bottles of used plastic bottles to be taken to the waste bank which is the program partner. As a form of incentive, people who carry used plastic packaging, which is equivalent to one carton of packaged drinks, will get a coupon. The coupon can be exchanged for AQUA LIFE products made from 100% recycled plastic in all Circle K outlets in Bali. That way, the community will be able to participate directly in creating a circular economy, because the bottles and cups of used plastic collected will be recycled into new bottles or other products.

Regarding this cooperation, Sr. Danone-AQUA Sustainable Packaging Manager Ratih Anggraeni said, "As a brand that has been present for 46 years in Indonesia, Danone-AQUA is committed to continuing to bring goodness to Indonesia by providing healthy hydration and environmental conservation efforts. We have set a Plastic Wisdom ambition, one of which is to collect more plastic waste than used in 2025. Today, we have achieved this ambition in Bali, but we realize that we cannot stop here. Bali needs more innovative solutions to overcome the increasingly real challenges of plastic waste, so that multi-stakeholder collaboration to build this circular economy is our next target. "

Being the party that initiated this collaboration, Danone-AQUA with the Bali Foundation Wastu Lestari will assist the program's waste bank partners, to be able to become garbage collection points and exchange of coupons, which can be easily accessed by the community. Danone-AQUA will also ensure the transportation and processing of recycled plastic bottles and cups.

In this multi-stakeholder collaboration, Circle K as a retailer that has started a waste management campaign since 2010, has a role in reducing, reuse, recycle (3R) education to consumers who come to their outlets. Among other things so that consumers start sorting, collecting, and carrying used plastic bottles and cups to the waste bank so they can be recycled. Circle K will also introduce AQUA LIFE products as a support for circular economy and sustainable business practices.

"By providing easy access to recycled products, we also increase consumer knowledge that used plastic bottles and cups can be recycled into new quality products," said Circle K's Corporate Affair Director Gunawan Indro Baskoro. "We also provide information about the location of waste banks that are partners in the program so that in the future it will encourage more people to bring their used plastic packaging to waste banks, to realize a cleaner Bali," Gunawan said.

Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Bali Wastu Lestari Foundation, Ni Wayan Riawati explained that waste banks as a form of community-based waste management are an effective means to encourage the process of sorting waste and facilitating the recycling process. "Through this collaboration, we want to introduce the concept of waste as a valuable material if managed properly and channeled through a waste bank," Ria continued. As of today, the Bali Wastu Lestari Foundation has assisted more than 300 waste banks, which on average are able to recycle 111 tons of waste per month.

This multi-stakeholder collaboration is also in line with the second pillar of the concept of life of the Balinese people, Tri Hita Karana, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining harmony between humans and nature. "This is why we support this collaboration," said Head of Waste Management, B3 Waste & Capacity Building, I Made Dwi Arbani. "We hope this multi-stakeholder collaboration can be a real step to increase the amount of plastic packaging that can be collected and recycled, and reduce the amount of plastic waste scattered in the environment, which is a challenge in Bali today. By involving the community to sort out and socialize the role of waste banks, we believe that the behavior of managing waste can become a daily culture that will make the island cleaner, while maintaining better relations between humans and nature. "

The waste banks participating in this program are:

  • The waste bank Legian Aksi Nyata, Jalan Raya Legian, Kuta
  • Bali Bersih garbage bank, Dangin Kelod village office, Jalan Letda Reta Yangbatu, Renon
  • Teba Asri Lestari waste bank, Jalan Raya Uluwatu, Jimbaran
  • Waste bank Santi Pertiwi Pratama, Jalan Raya Krobokan, North Kuta
  • Waste Bank Kelurahan Kuta, Kuta
  • Waste Bank Middle School 3, Denpasar