I was pleased to be asked to speak at the Digital Waste Solutions and Inaplas’ conference in November, held in Jakarta as well as participate at Circular Economy Foundation seminar session sponsored by Dow Chemical also in Jakarta. Closer to the factory the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and MVO Netherlands organized a seminar on various initiatives that their Government is leading in conjunction with the Indonesian Authorities to clean the Welang River, in Surabaya.
Here there were also presentations given by innovative Dutch companies Umincorp and Sweepsmart, and finally the month rounded off with hearing from leading Australian companies, Replas, Visy and Close the Loop on their works on re-use and separation of plastics. The technology being put to work in separating plastics is truly inspiring, enabling automated separation by both polymer and colour. Separation of plastics will be increasingly easy, it is the infrastructure for collection of plastics and the redesigning of packaging to ensure ease of recycling that are the next challenges.
Of course, we need to ensure cementing of consumer behavior changes in collaboration with more public-private collection and recycling infrastructure, and the trifecta of rebates, incentives or fines by Governments to avoid waste being dumped. I sincerely hope that the focus and passion for Reclaim Reuse Reinvent continues in 2020.
