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In February 2022, the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) produced a historic resolution in the form of ideas for developing binding international legal instruments regarding plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. This legal instrument, known as the "Global Plastics Treaty,” will be based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the entire plastic life cycle and is expected to be agreed upon by the end of 2024. To make this ambition a success and coinciding with the momentum of the International Zero Waste Month, Dietplastik Indonesia and GAIA Asia Pacific held a Reuse Tour and Conference with the theme "Reuse Now, Brighter Future Yes!"
The conference activities which were attended by GAIA Asia Pacific members from various countries were divided into four plenary sessions with discussion themes including how to form a global reuse system, good practices for reuse systems that have been implemented in Southeast Asia, good practices for reuse systems on small islands, and the way forward for reuse systems in Indonesia. This conference aimed to share experiences and transfer knowledge to create greater impact through advocacy and implementation of reuse systems, especially in Southeast Asia. Apart from that, this activity also sought to build stronger partnerships to build reuse solutions.
In contrast to single-use plastics (SUPs), reuse is a system that intentionally designs products and packaging for multiple lifecycles. At its core, reuse offers economic benefits to the community while reducing the environmental impact of our consumption. Attended by the government, civil society organizations (CSOs), business actors, and other related institutions and stakeholders, the conference discussed how reuse can be highlighted as an emissions-friendly global solution to overcome the global waste problem.
Froilan Grate, GAIA Asia Pacific Regional Coordinator, explained “Why reuse? Because reuse systems are accessible, affordable, and make people’s lives easier. Though the transition from SUPs takes time, the process should be clear, just, and grounded in shared principles, cross-sector collaboration, and most importantly, community-based solutions. We know that working on full reuse systems that would have the impact to address the scale of the plastic pollution crisis is still very much a work in progress—it is worth celebrating the amazing work that’s already happening here in Indonesia and the rest of Asia.”
Tiza Mafira, Executive Director of Dietplastik Indonesia, conveyed, "By reusing, we can produce much lower emissions because we reduce plastic production from raw and recycled materials, so there is no waste in final disposal. If standardization is carried out, reuse can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from consumer packaging by up to 80 percent."
To foster the development of reuse systems, it is crucial to enhance the support at both the city and national levels. Therefore, through the momentum of the 2024 Reuse Conference in Jakarta, Dietplastik Indonesia and GAIA Asia Pacific initiated a soft launch of the Asia Reuse Consortium.
The Consortium, with initial founding members from Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam, is a first step in reaching out to the pioneers of the reuse movement in Asia and making reuse solutions more widely adopted. This aligns with the spirit expressed by Break Free From Plastic (BFFP), a global movement to create a future without plastic pollution.
“We must make the moment last, but this is not a moment. This is a movement. As such, we do not only have CSOs, we have local governments and business players, and we believe that the Consortium is really important for the region. Indonesia, along with other Asian countries, is leading the way and with that, the reuse revolution is bound to happen,” stressed Faye Ferrer, BFFP South East Asia Network Organizer.
In the future, not only can Indonesia be the driving force of this movement, but it can attract more countries in Asia to commit to joining the Asia Reuse Consortium and make reuse a priority solution to single-use plastic pollution.
Video courtesy of Dietplastik Indonesia | Jakarta Reuse Tour and Conference 2024 in celebration of International Zero Waste Month in January.
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About Dietplastik Indonesia
Dietplastik Indonesia (with previous name Indonesian Plastic Bag Diet Movement) is a non-profit organization that focuses on advocating for policies to reduce single-use plastic waste in Indonesia. Dietplastik Indonesia succeeded in encouraging more than 100 cities to ban the use of single-use plastic after initiating the #Pay4Plastic regulation trial in 2016 with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
Dietplastik Indonesia collaborates with stakeholders such as the government, business sectors and community groups in carrying out waste reduction efforts that are solutive and impactful. The flagship programs which initiated by Dietplastik Indonesia are Plastic Free Market and Jakarta Reuse Movement.
