Lecture Notes: Addressing River Pollution in Indonesia

Introduction

Indonesia's River Pollution: Notably considered having some of the dirtiest rivers globally.
Nonprofit Response: Sungai Watch actively removes trash by hand from rivers, acting swiftly to prevent ocean pollution.

Founding: Established by Gary and his siblings Sam and Kelly in 2020.
Achievements: Collected over 2,000 tons of trash from Bali and East Java in four years.
Daily Operations: Cleans up approximately 3,000 kilos of plastic waste every day.
Sorting Facilities: Operate nine sorting centers across Bali and East Java.
Team: Consists of 132 employees working across barriers, dump sites, and sorting centers.

Sorting Process: Trash sorted into 30 categories based on material, color, and quality.
Partnerships: Collaborates with companies like Indosol to recycle trash into products like sandals and furniture.
- Indosol: Turns discarded sandals into new sandals.
- Sungai Design: Transforms plastic bags into furniture.
Recycling Challenges: Only about a third of collected waste can be recycled; creative solutions are needed for remaining waste.

Educational Initiatives: Conducts workshops for local communities and youth on waste management.
Data Collection: Utilizes data from waste collection to inform government policies and initiatives.

Plastic Waste Statistics: Indonesia produces nearly 7 million metric tons of plastic waste annually, with over half mismanaged.
Legal and Illegal Dumping: Waste often ends up in poorly regulated landfills and illegal dumps.
Government Goals: Aims to reduce marine plastic waste by 70% by 2025.

Floating Barriers: Installed 170 barriers across Bali and East Java to prevent plastic from reaching the ocean.
International Collaboration: Inspired by international efforts like the Ocean Cleanup project, which uses interceptors to clean rivers before reaching oceans.

Barriers to Success: Funding shortages and lack of operational continuity remain challenges.
Positive Outcomes: Some rivers have been cleaned enough to reintroduce wildlife and remove trash barriers.
Future Aspirations: Sungai Watch aims for a Bali free of plastic pollution through continuous cleanups and educational efforts.

Importance of Reduction: The best method to combat plastic pollution is to reduce production and usage.
Sustainable Progress: While complete eradication of river pollution may take years, significant progress can be achieved with consistent effort and community involvement.