Let’s be honest. We all love the convenience of a quick snack or a single-use sachet of shampoo. But that convenience comes with a hidden price tag. Right now, the average person in Indonesia generates about 4 kg of sachet and pouch waste every single year.
For years, we have been told that recycling is the answer. But with less than 10% of plastic waste in Indonesia formally recycled, it is clear that we cannot just recycle our way out of this crisis. We need to stop the waste before it is even created.
This is where the new report, “Indonesia’s Plastic Crisis & The Oasis of Reuse,” comes in.
A Blueprint for Funders and Future-Makers
This report is not just another study. It is a key piece of the Reuse in Jakarta program, a collaborative effort between Enviu and Dietplastik Indonesia, supported by the Plastic Solutions Fund.
The goal of this work is simple yet ambitious. We want to wake up the funding world. We want to show funders, investors, and brands that reuse is not just a nice idea for the future. It is an investable reality today.
The Main Idea: We Have the Pilots, Now We Need Scale
We already know that reuse works. The report highlights successful pilots that are already on the ground. For instance, Alner, in collaboration with Unilever Indonesia, has introduced more than 600 refill stations across Greater Jakarta. These stations are helping local entrepreneurs increase their income by 10 to 25% while diverting plastic from landfills.
Consumers are ready too. These pilots have seen packaging return rates hit over 70%. As the report notes:
“When infrastructure and incentives are in place, consumers readily participate in reuse systems.”
But having a few successful pilots is not enough. The main message of this report is that we must transition from isolated pilots to a scalable system. This study provides the essential “how” and “why” we need to make that leap.
Bridging the Gap
If we have the pilots and the proof, what is stopping us? The report identifies a “Missing Middle” in financing. We have start-up grants and we have big corporate budgets, but we lack the mid-sized funding needed to build the shared infrastructure that connects it all.
We need to build the backbone of the reuse economy. This includes shared washing hubs, reverse logistics networks, and digital tracking systems. To build this interoperable system by 2026, the report estimates we need to unlock $100 million in additional capital.
An Invitation to Invest in the Future
This report is a roadmap for funders to understand exactly where their money can have the most impact. It argues that we need to stop looking at reuse as a behavioral experiment and start treating it as a serious infrastructure class.
The “Oasis of Reuse” is right in front of us. We have the pilots. We have the partners. Now, we just need the resources to scale.
Ready to explore the roadmap?
👉 Read the Full Report: Indonesia’s Plastic Crisis & The Oasis of Reuse
