Pemulung

Indonesia is facing challenges in waste management. The government is tightening regulations, giving companies increased responsibility to collect their waste. Throughout the country, meanwhile, waste pickers are organized in informal networks that work unrecognized. They live in difficult conditions with limited access to water, education and health. With the support of Danone Ecosystem, Danone AQUA and its local partner, Reksa Buana Utama, Pemulung project built a recycling unit that employed and ran by waste pickers and their families. Its objectives were to improve the waste collection rate through an efficient network, therefore maximizing pemulung’s income, while providing them with health services, and a safe working environment.

This project contributed to develop a sustainable, inclusive waste collection model in Indonesia. As the inclusive model created reached sustainability, the project was handed over in 2017 and the recycling networks are still operating and providing recycled plastics to AQUA.

Under the picture, some generated results.