Abu Dhabi, February 13, 2025 – Project STOP, co-founded by Borealis. dan 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 di 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
Tentang Project STOP
Diluncurkan pada tahun 2017 oleh Borealis dan Systemiq, Project STOP (STop Ocean Plastics) bekerja sama dengan pemerintah kabupaten untuk menciptakan sistem pengelolaan sampah melingkar yang efektif di daerah-daerah berkebutuhan khusus di Asia Tenggara. Inisiatif ini mendukung kota-kota dengan keahlian teknis untuk mencapai nol kebocoran sampah, meningkatkan daur ulang, membangun program-program yang ekonomis berkelanjutan, menciptakan lapangan pekerjaan baru, dan mengurangi dampak buruk sampah yang tidak tertangani terhadap kesehatan masyarakat, pariwisata, dan perikanan. Kemitraan kota pertama dibentuk pada tahun 2017 di kota Muncar, Jawa Timur, diikuti oleh Pasuruan, Jawa Timur, dan Jembrana, Bali. Pada bulan Februari 2022, Project STOP Muncar dikelola pemerintah setempat dan masyarakat. Pada bulan Maret 2023, Project STOP Pasuruan diserahkan kepada pemerintah dan masyarakat, dan pada bulan Juni 2023, Project STOP Jembrana sepenuhnya diserahkan kepada pemerintah kabupaten setempat.
Sekarang program ini berkembang ke kabupaten Banyuwangi—menggabungkan model sistem sampah tingkat kabupaten dengan pengumpul bahan menjadi solusi daur ulang dan pengelolaan sampah sirkuler yang dapat mengubah ekonomi sampah.
Informasi selengkapnya tentang Project STOP:
Website: www.stopoceanplastics.com
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Tentang Borealis
Borealis merupakan salah satu perusahaan terkemuka di dunia yang menyediakan solusi poliolefin yang canggih dan sirkuler, dan merupakan pemimpin di pasar Eropa untuk bahan kimia dasar, pupuk dan daur ulang mekanis plastik. Kami memanfaatkan keahlian polimer kami dan pengalaman puluhan tahun untuk menawarkan solusi material yang bernilai tambah, inovatif dan sirkular untuk industri utama, seperti produk konsumer, energi, kesehatan, infrastruktur dan mobilitas. Dalam menemukan kembali kehidupan yang lebih berkelanjutan, kami membangun komitmen kami pada keselamatan, para karyawan, dan keunggulan saat kami mempercepat transformasi menuju ekonomi sirkular dan memperluas jejak geografis kami.
Dalam menemukan kembali hal-hal penting untuk kehidupan yang berkelanjutan, kami membangun komitmen terhadap keselamatan, staf kami, inovasi dan teknologi, dan keunggulan kinerja. Kami mempercepat transformasi ke ekonomi sirkular poliolefin dan memperluas jejak geografis kami untuk melayani pelanggan kami dengan lebih baik di seluruh dunia.
Dengan kantor pusat di Wina, Austria, Borealis memiliki lebih dari 6.900 karyawan dan beroperasi di lebih dari 120 negara. Pada 2021, Borealis menghasilkan penjualan sebesar EUR 12.342 miliar dan laba bersih sebesar EUR 1.396 juta. OMV, perusahaan minyak dan gas internasional yang berasal dari Austria, memiliki 75% saham Borealis, dan 25% saham perusahaan dimiliki oleh induk perusahaan Mubadala yang berasal dari Abu-Dhabi. Kami menyediakan layanan dan produk kepada konsumen secara global melalui Borealis dan dua perusahaan patungan: Borogue (dengan Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) di Uni Emirat Arab), dan Baystar™ (dengan Total, di Amerika Serikat).
www.borealisgroup.com | www.borealiseverminds.com
Tentang SYSTEMIQ
SYSTEMIQ didirikan pada tahun 2016 untuk mendorong pencapaian Perjanjian Paris dan Tujuan Pembangunan Berkelanjutan PBB (UN Sustainable Development Goals) dengan mentransformasi pasar dan model bisnis di empat sistem kunci: penggunaan lahan, bahan sirkular, energi bersih, dan keuangan berkelanjutan. Sebagai perusahaan B-Corp, SYSTEMIQ adalah perusahaan penasihat dan investasi global yang bermitra dengan industri, pemerintah dan masyarakat sipil, membiayai, dan berinvestasi dalam usaha berdampak tinggi dengan potensi untuk membuka peluang ekonomi yang menguntungkan bisnis, masyarakat, dan lingkungan, serta memberikan perubahan sistem.
Informasi selengkapnya, kunjungi 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
