Tackling Indonesia’s plastic problem one bottle at a time

Tridi Oasis Group is helping Indonesia overcome its plastic waste problem. The company has managed to recycle over 250 million bottles since it opened its doors in 2016.

Jakarta’s 10.5 million inhabitants have long been facing growing waste volumes. Especially plastic scrap is a common sight, polluting the capital’s streets, parks, waterways and oceans. Recently, Indonesia pledged to reduce its plastic waste by 30% by 2025. This won’t be an easy task considering the country generates around 7.8 million tonnes of plastic every year. Big cities are major waste hotspots.

Tridi Oasis Group, which employs a crew of 120 workers, has been making progress by converting the material into much-needed secondary resources. ‘I don’t see discarded plastic as trash. For me, it is a valuable material in the wrong place,’ 35-year-old company founder Dian Kurniawati tells AFP. He realises that there is a long way to go, urging that more than half of plastic scrap is mismanaged or disposed of improperly.

The recycler targets polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging, notably plastic bottles. It recycles the material into a wide-range of high-quality rPET flakes (12mm), which can be transformed into sustainable packaging and textiles. ‘We work closely together with local and international partners,’ Kurniawati adds.

He hopes his company will boost Indonesia’s recycled plastics industry by leading by example.