Abu Dhabi, February 13, 2025 – Project STOP, co-founded by Borealis and Systemiq in 2017, is delighted to welcome Clean Rivers as a Scale-Up Partner and funder for Phase 3 of the Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau program. Clean Rivers, the global non-profit organization dedicated to transforming river systems into catalysts for sustainable development, joins forces with Project STOP to establish Indonesia’s first Regency-wide waste management system in the Banyuwangi Regency, East-Java, Indonesia.
“From Left to Right: H.E. Dr. Nani Hendiarti, Indonesian Deputy Minister for Food Affordability and Security; Ben Dixon, Partner, Systemiq; H.E. Husin Bagis, Indonesia Ambassador to the UAE; H.E. Airlangga Hartarto, Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs; Thomas Boesen, Vice President – Middle East and Asia, Borealis; H.E. Abdullah Khalaf Al Qubaisi, Managing Director of Clean Rivers; Deborah Backus, CEO of Clean Rivers; H.E. Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment; and H.E. Saeed Rashid Al Zaabi, Board Chair of Clean Rivers.
- Clean Rivers, a global non-profit dedicated to tackling plastic pollution in river systems, becomes Project STOP Scale-Up Partner
- Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau Phase 3 is a key implementation project for Clean Rivers within a bilateral agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia to reduce plastic waste leakage to the ocean
- Project STOP aims to establish the first Regency-wide circular waste management system in Indonesia and provide access to waste management services for nearly 2 million people across all Project STOP locations
Project STOP collaborates with the Indonesian national government, local government and municipalities in developing and implementing effective circular waste management systems and waste management services for households. By keeping materials in a loop and creating employment opportunities for local communities, Project STOP aims to reduce the harmful impact of mismanaged waste on public health, climate change, tourism and fisheries. In addition to its expansion to Regency-level, the program is driving a transformation of Indonesia’s waste management system through plastic reduction and reuse initiatives, engaging policy makers to develop innovative waste management policies, exploring diverse financing models and leveraging technology advancements, all underpinned by a strong commitment to training and capacity building.
“Waste collection in Balak Village, supported by Project STOP Banyuwangi (Banyuwangi Hijau).”
Clean Rivers’ partnership with Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau provides a significant boost to the program’s ambitions to positively impact the lives of nearly 2 million people across all Project STOP locations by reducing waste leakage into marine and riverine environments.
Working at this larger scale will create a roadmap and an enabling environment for reaching Indonesia’s government targets, which aim for a 70% handling rate of all waste and a 30% reduction of waste at source through ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’, and ensuring that every family in Indonesia has access to circular waste management.
The partnership with Clean Rivers comes on the heels of the inauguration of a large-scale materials recovery facility (MRF) in September 2023 and the construction of a second MRF to commence later in 2025. Clean Rivers’ funding will enable Project STOP to expand, providing up to 850,000 people with access to the new MRF’s and an affordable, end-to-end waste management system while creating up to 1,000 full-time jobs.
The investment will therefore contribute significantly to improving community well-being and environmental sustainability in the Regency. Ultimately, Project STOP aims to provide a blueprint model for further replication across Indonesia.
Project STOP Banyuwangi Phase 3 will be a pivotal project for Clean Rivers within the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently signed by the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, and the Republic of Indonesia’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment. This initiative builds on conservation efforts from the UAE and the ongoing and successful cooperation between the two countries to combat climate change and its effects, such as the Mangrove Alliance for Climate, and the Mohamed bin Zayed-Joko Widodo International Mangrove Research Center. Clean Rivers’ contributions form part of the UAE’s USD 20 million commitment to Indonesia for waste management and clean-up projects.
The partnership was launched at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on February 12, 2025. H.E. Abdulla Al Qubaisi, Managing Director of Clean Rivers, Deborah Backus, CEO of Clean Rivers, Thomas Boesen, Vice President Middle East & Asia at Borealis and Ben Dixon, Partner at Systemiq signed the agreement on behalf of the parties involved. The signing ceremony was witnessed by H.E. Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, H.E. Airlangga Hartarto, Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, and H.E. Dr. Nani Hendiarti, Indonesian Deputy Minister for Food Affordability.
“Clean Rivers supports initiatives that contribute to systemic change with lasting environmental and social impact through close collaboration with local governments and organizations,” says Deborah Backus, CEO of Clean Rivers. “This partnership with Project STOP builds on our broader commitment to finance scalable solutions that restore and protect rivers while empowering local communities.”
“The Banyuwangi Regency is dedicated to bringing access to reliable, circular waste management to every household in our regency,“ says Ipuk Fiestiandani, Regent of Banyuwangi. “We are pleased to continue partnering with Project STOP to accomplish this ambitious goal, and thankful for the commitment from Clean Rivers.”
“We are honored to welcome Clean Rivers as our Scale-Up Partner in Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau,” says Markus Horcher, Director Sustainability & Public Affairs at Borealis. “Collaboration remains key in addressing the complex issue of marine littering. We are grateful for Clean Rivers’ deep-seated commitment to partner with the Indonesian government, the communities and us to achieve our common ambitious goals of Project STOP in Indonesia.”
“Creating the first Regency-wide circular waste management system in Indonesia will serve as a beacon for other regencies to follow and build upon,” says Widharmika Agung, Partner at Systemiq. “This monumental accomplishment is only possible due to the leadership and vision from the Banyuwangi Regency and many national ministries, and Project STOP is proud to play a role in supporting this important work.”
For more information about Project STOP please visit: www.stopoceanplastics.com
For more information about the Bayuwangi Hijau App, visit: https://banyuwangihijau.cargo.site/
Media contacts
Borealis:
Borealis Group Media Desk
Tel: +43 1 22 400 899 (Vienna, Austria)
E-mail: [email protected]
Systemiq:
Efendi A, Communications Officer, Project STOP
Tel.: +62 811 1053 3827 (Indonesia)
e-mail: [email protected]
Ulrike Stein, Senior Communications Manager, Systemiq
Tel: +44 782 705 8082 (London, UK)
E-Mail: [email protected]
Clean Rivers:
Aza Wee Sile, Senior Communications Manager, Clean Rivers
Tel.: +971 56 985 0244 (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
e-mail: [email protected]
For more information about Project STOP please visit: www.stopoceanplastics.com
For more information about the Bayuwangi Hijau App, visit: https://banyuwangihijau.cargo.site/
For more information about Project STOP please visit: www.stopoceanplastics.com
About Project STOP
Launched in 2017 by Borealis and Systemiq, Project STOP (STop Ocean Plastics) works hand-in-hand with city governments to create effective circular waste management systems in high-need areas of Southeast Asia. The initiative supports cities with technical expertise to achieve zero-leakage of waste, increase recycling, build economically sustainable programs, creating new jobs and reducing the harmful impact of mismanaged waste on public health, tourism, and fisheries. The first city partnership was established in 2017 in the municipality of Muncar, East Java, followed by others in Pasuruan, East Java and Jembrana, Bali. In February 2022, Project STOP Muncar was handed over to the local government and community. In March 2023 Project STOP Pasuruan was handed over to the government and community and in June 2023 Project STOP Jembrana was fully handed over to the local regency government.
Now the programme expands to the Banyuwangi regency—combining a regency level waste system model with a material aggregator into a circular waste and recycling solution that can transform waste economics.
For more information on Project STOP:
Website: www.stopoceanplastics.com
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About Borealis
Borealis is one of the world’s leading providers of advanced and sustainable polyolefin solutions and a European front-runner in polyolefins recycling. In Europe, we are a market leader in base chemicals and fertilizers. We leverage our polymer expertise and decades of experience to offer value adding, innovative and circular material solutions for key industries such as consumer products, energy, healthcare, infrastructure and mobility.
In re-inventing essentials for sustainable living, we build on our commitment to safety, our people, innovation and technology, and performance excellence. We are accelerating the transformation to a circular economy of polyolefins and expanding our geographical footprint to better serve our customers around the globe.
With head offices in Vienna, Austria, we employ 6,900 employees and operate in over 120 countries. In 2021, we generated total sales of EUR 12.342 EUR billion and a net profit of EUR 1,396 million. OMV, the Austria-based international oil and gas company, owns 75% of our shares, while the remaining 25% is owned by a holding company of the Abu-Dhabi based Mubadala. We supply services and products to customers around the globe through Borealis and two important joint ventures: Borouge (with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, or ADNOC, based in UAE); and Baystar™ (with TotalEnergies, based in the US)
www.borealisgroup.com | www.borealiseverminds.com
About SYSTEMIQ
SYSTEMIQ was founded in 2016 to drive the achievement of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals by transforming markets and business models in four key systems: land use, circular materials, clean energy, and sustainable finance. A certified B-Corp, SYSTEMIQ is a global advisory and investment firm that partners with industry, government and civil society, financing, and invests in high-impact ventures with the potential to unlock economic opportunities that benefit business, society, and the environment, and deliver systems change.
To learn more, visit www.systemiq.earth.
About Clean Rivers
Clean Rivers is a global non-profit dedicated to transforming river systems into catalysts for sustainable development. The organisation funds and facilitates initiatives led by circular economy principles to reduce waste leakage, drive innovation, and empower communities. Established in 2023 and based in Abu Dhabi, Clean Rivers prioritises local knowledge and expertise, recognising the pivotal role of communities in addressing riverine pollution, cleaning up waterways, and driving sustainable development.
Clean Rivers operates as a portfolio entity of the Erth Zayed Philanthropies, a UAE initiative uniting major philanthropic efforts under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, strengthening its capacity to deliver impactful, large-scale environmental solutions and furthering the UAE’s commitment to uplifting communities worldwide.
For more information on Clean Rivers:
Website: cleanrivers.org
Instagram: @cleanrivers.org
LinkedIn: clean-rivers-global
