Municipal Waste Recycling Program (MWRP) – Indonesia Country Profile

Each year, eight million metric tons of plastic pour into the world’s ocean. This global crisis is exacerbated by poor waste management systems of rapidly urbanizing coastal cities in developing countries. Research shows that Indonesia contributes as much as 1.29 million metric tons of plastic waste to the ocean annually, making it the world’s second largest polluter1 by total mass of mismanaged plastic debris.

 THE CHALLENGE

Each year, eight million metric tons of plastic pour into the world’s ocean. This global crisis is exacerbated by poor waste management systems of rapidly urbanizing coastal cities in developing countries. Research shows that Indonesia contributes as much as 1.29 million metric tons of plastic waste to the ocean annually, making it the world’s second largest polluter1 by total mass of mismanaged plastic debris.

The Government of Indonesia is pursuing national-level strategies and policies for solid waste management (SWM) and is implementing a national action plan to address ocean plastic pollution. Local governments, though, often lack the funding needed to implement city-level initiatives. As the fourth most populous nation in the world and a nation with a massive coastal population, Indonesia represents a critical opportunity to confront the challenge of ocean plastic pollution.