Banyuwangi, East Java, Indonesia – April 10, 2025 – Project STOP, co-founded by Borealis and Systemiq, continues to drive transformational change in waste management in Indonesia. From its inception in 2017 to the end of December 2024, Project STOP has provided access to waste collection services to 517,000 people, collected 79,000 metric tons of waste, including 12,000 metric tons of plastic, and created around 280 full-time jobs in the waste sector.
Project STOP impact metrics in December 2024 since inception in 2017
- Project STOP advances establishment of a Regency-wide circular waste management system in Indonesia’s Banyuwangi Regency, with the groundbreaking for second material recovery facility (MRF) planned for the second half of 2025.
- By the end of 2024, the initiative has provided access to waste collection services to 517,000 people, created around 280 full-time jobs in the waste sector, and collected more than 79,000 metric tons of waste (including more than 12,000 metric tons of plastic).
- Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau Digital App, developed by Accenture Song, improves waste collection efficiency.
- Scale-up partner Clean Rivers will play a key role in expanding access to circular waste management services to nearly 2 million people across all Project STOP locations.
By collaborating with public and private sector partners, Project STOP aims to establish effective circular waste management systems at scale in Southeast Asia. This includes achieving zero waste leakage, increasing recycling, creating jobs, and reducing the harmful impact of mismanaged waste on public health, climate change, tourism, and fisheries.
Waste sorting in Balak MRF, supported by Project STOP Banyuwangi (Banyuwangi Hijau)
Through Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau, the program aims to establish a Regency-wide circular waste management system in Banyuwangi Regency, East Java — a pivotal milestone in Project STOP’s strategy to enable the scale–up of circular waste management systems across the country.
To support this effort, Accenture Song collaborated with Project STOP to create the Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau Digital App, which enhances waste collection efficiency by digitizing processes and optimizing waste system roll-outs.
At this key stage, Clean Rivers, a global non-profit dedicated to tackling plastic pollution in river systems, joined Project STOP as a Scale-up Partner and funder and will play a crucial role in the Project STOP Banyuwangi expansion.
“We are very proud of what we have achieved so far with Project STOP together with our valued partners,” says Markus Horcher, Vice President Sustainability & Public Affairs at Borealis. “With Borealis fully funding the planned second material recovery facility (MRF) in this crucial phase of the project, we are continuing our commitment to Project STOP, which ultimately aims to positively impact the lives of nearly two million people while creating up to 1,000 full-time jobs.”
The success of Project STOP is owed to the valuable partnerships that enable the initiative to scale its efforts and create lasting environmental and social impact through close collaboration with public and private sector partners. The excellent support and long-standing strategic partnership with the national Indonesian government and the Banyuwangi Regency Government is the foundation for all Project STOP’s achievements.
Ben Dixon, Partner at Systemiq and Project STOP co-founder says: “Project STOP’s continued impact shows that with the right partnerships and system-level thinking, circular waste management in Indonesia and beyond can become a reality. By co-developing solutions with governments and communities, we are not only preventing plastic pollution but also creating lasting economic, environmental and societal benefits. As we continue to scale, our focus remains on building resilient, self-sustaining waste systems that drive real change.”
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
