Single-Use Plastics in Indonesia

 Single-Use Plastics in Indonesia

     In my opinion about single-use plastics, or disposable plastics, are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. These items are things like plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles and most food packaging.We produce roughly 300 million tons of plastic each year and half of it is disposable! World-wide only 10-13% of plastic items are recycled. The nature of petroleum based disposable plastic makes it difficult to recycle and they have to add new virgin materials and chemicals to it to do so. Additionally there are a limited number of items that recycled plastic can be used.

      Petroleum based plastic is not biodegradable and usually goes into a landfill where it is buried or it gets into the water and finds it’s way into the ocean. Although plastic will not biodegrade (decompose into natural substance like soil,) it will degrade (break down) into tiny particles after many years. In the process of breaking down, it releases toxic chemicals (additives that were used to shape and harden the plastic) which make their way into our food and water supply.These toxic chemicals are now being found in our bloodstream and the latest research has found them to disrupt the Endocrine system  which can cause cancer, infertility, birth defects, impaired immunity and many other ailments.

       We produce hundreds of millions of tons of plastic every year, most of which cannot be recycled. It’s obvious that we need to use less plastic, move towards environmentally sustainable products and services and come up with technology that recycles plastic more efficiently. But above all, when we as consumers – the demand side – remain resistant, it is difficult to make a significant change. Our plastic footprint – the total amount of plastic used and discarded by a single individual – is worthy of our immediate attention. The average plastic consumption of individuals in Indonesia is around 21-22 kilograms per year while the plastic recycling rate was only 11%. Therefore, one person’s action can undeniably make a difference. When individuals collaborate to promote community action to curb single-use plastic pollution, imagine how impactful this could be.

         It definitely takes a process to achieve zero waste for single-use plastics. Just like when I started my effort in college, taking baby steps to reduce my use of plastic straws. There were times when I forgot to ask not to be given a plastic straw. I am still struggling to make a little change day by day, but this is the least that I can do and in my control. Inevitably, we will fail, forget and compromise. But it is about the commitment to keep going, to learn from mistakes, to keep improving, and adopt ‘new habits’. In the end, it comes down to us, both as individuals and members of local communities—be those villages, schools, companies or others—to take action.

If you are interested to take action, we welcome you to join our plastic-free communities campaign.