More than 133,500 people reached with sustainable waste management services in three coastal cities

Once at full scale by end of 2022, Project STOP’s three current city partnerships will reach 450,000 people and permanently keep 45,400 tonnes of waste out of the environment, including 5,700 tonnes of plastic through more circular, economically sustainable waste management.

Co-founded by Borealis and SYSTEMIQ in 2017, Project STOP works hand-in-hand with city governments to create effective circular waste management systems in high-need areas of Southeast Asia. Project STOP supports cities with technical expertise to create circular waste management systems that achieve zero-leakage of waste, increase recycling, are economically sustainable, create new jobs and reduce the harmful impact of mismanaged waste on public health, tourism and fisheries. Today, Project STOP operates in three city partnerships, including the coastal cities of Muncar and Pasuruan in East Java, and Jembrana, on the northwest coast of Bali.

By the end of 2020, Project STOP had achieved several important milestones, including:

• Brought waste collection to more than 133,500 people, most for the first time.

• Stopped 8,123 tonnes of waste (1,118 tonnes plastic) from polluting the environment.

• Created stable jobs for 168 waste-workers, which will grow to more than 250 by the end of the programme.

• Completed the construction of five material recovery facilities – one 50 tonnes/day facility in Jembrana, Bali, two 30 tonnes/day facilities in Pasuruan, East Java and two 20 tonnes/day facilities in Muncar, East Java, bringing the total processing capacity to 150 tonnes/day.

• Piloted multiple governance models to support more stable, professional waste management systems.

• Developed an extensive curriculum to train government and others to set up and operate waste systems.

Like many other organisations coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, Project STOP faced challenges ensuring continuous waste management services for the communities where it operates. Waste management services are essential for community health, as well as keeping plastic out of the environment. Since the start of the pandemic in Indonesia, Project STOP conducts rapid testing, hygiene and COVID-19 training, installed and maintains additional hand-washing stations, and takes worker temperatures daily. Workers continue to wear protective equipment, including gloves and face masks, and practice social distancing. Collection vehicles and equipment are fully sanitised daily, with common surfaces cleaned multiple times per day.

“Despite the challenges caused by COVID-19, 2020 was another highly successful year for Project STOP,” says Borealis CEO Alfred Stern. “We are grateful to all of the project’s frontline workers for keeping these essential services going during the pandemic. The initiative continues to deliver the benefits we expected and its achievements to date show how well the organisation is set up, the dedication of its team and the significance of these services to the people who receive them.”