COMMUNITY PROSPERITY
TURNING THE TIDE ON OCEAN WASTE
BALI, INDONESIA
Protect the postcard-perfect beaches of your favorite island getaways. The next time you travel, consider how you can cut down on the waste you leave behind, so the residents of places like Bali do not have to clean up after you.
What's
changing
Only 9% of the world’s plastic is recycled, contributing to a global plastic waste crisis. Unrecycled waste is often shipped to developing nations, like Indonesia, which lack the infrastructure to process it effectively, especially in addition to their own plastic waste. As popular islands, including Bali, attract more visitors more plastic piles up. As a result, approximately 1.3 million tons of this waste drifts into Indonesia’s waters each year.
What's already
possible
In villages across Bali, Delterra’s “Rethink Recycling” program takes a hyperlocal approach that directly involves community members in plastic recycling and restructures waste management to be an economic driver, while reducing the volume of plastic entering the ocean.
Seizing
the opportunity
Launched in 2019, Delterra’s “Rethinking Recycling” program focuses on optimizing waste collection and sorting through coordinated efforts with Indonesian government ministries and local partners. The program collaborates with villages to advocate for changes in community behavior that would reduce waste, boost the collection of recyclables and provide a long-term solution to local waste management challenges. Delterra also works with multinational corporations that buy recycled plastics as raw materials, further linking effective recycling practices with community profit.
Standout
tactic
Delterra more than doubled worker wages within months of starting the waste management facility in Sanur Kauh, sparking community support.
How
it helps
More than 125,000 Indonesians have access to recycling and waste management services, many for the first time, helping to drive down overall waste and single-use plastic litter. Delterra's recycling initiatives in Indonesia and South America are projected to divert approximately 100,000 tons of waste from landfills by 2025.
Diving
deeper
Does earning revenue by selling recycled plastic inadvertently encourage the further production of plastic goods?
Increasing
impact
Delterra could launch similar community-focused initiatives aimed at decreasing plastic production overall to engage communities and tourists alike in envisioning a post-plastic future.
Traveling
better
Travel is inherently carbon intensive. Whether you are taking a mini-break or an annual vacation, consider ways to minimize your impact by staying longer in one place, reconsidering how you travel to the destination, and supporting businesses that are working to make their community and the world a better place.
