Les Village is located on the northern coastline of Bali, 45 minutes east of Singaraja. The village is home to mostly fishermen, salt farmers and their families. Tourism is low compared to the more populated southern region. In the past, cyanide fishing and reef bombing devastated the coral reef and fish populations, affecting the livelihoods of the entire region. Likewise, the lack of waste collection results in the majority of plastics being burnt around the houses, thrown into rivers or randomly dumped. The majority of this waste is then washed into the ocean during the heavy rain season.

Established as a coral reef restoration project through ‘volun-tourism’ in 2012, Sea Communities evolved into a community engagement and capacity building enterprise which empowers village members and visitors alike with programs including literacy, marine conservation and resource recovery. In April 2019, the Shruder Resource Recovery program funded by TK Maxx (UK), was delivered and included 2 Shruder machines, tools and working with plastics training, resulting in the development of a micro-enterprise onsite plastic recycling workshop.

DELIVERY DATE: 

March 2019

PC SYSTEM INSTALLED:

Shruder Mk 2

TRAINING:

Global Plastic Problem
Plastics Knowledge
Operations (Shruder)

Mantanani Island, located 30km northwest of Sabah, has a population of 1000 locals and 22 resorts. The main industries are fisheries and increasingly tourism. As there are no cars or transport on the small tropical island, waste materials are either burnt, thrown directly into the sea or left on the beaches for the free-roaming cattle to eat. Plastic pollution dominates the white beaches and the intertidal zone of the large coral lagoon, harming all marine life and affecting local community health.

Reef Check is a scientifically based organisation that assesses and supports the health of coral reefs globally. The Malaysian branch has established a team in Mantanani Island that is working with the local community to develop capacity building skills, including literacy, environmental education and resource recovery. After establishing Mantanani Island Plastic Recycling Centre, Reef Check received sponsorship from Coca-Cola Malaysia to deliver the mobile Shruder program. Delivered in April, 2019 they aim to produce materials for the locals and sell shred for profit.

DELIVERY DATE: 

April 2019

PC SYSTEM INSTALLED:

Shruder Mk2

TRAINING:

Global Plastic Problem
Plastics Knowledge
Operations (Shruder)

In the middle of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, there are over 200 stunning uninhabited islands making up the Whitsunday region. On these islands plastic marine debris regularly washes ashore through currents, tides and winds from the Pacific Ocean. Since 2009, Ecobarge Clean Seas volunteers have removed more than 191,000 tonnes of marine debris from these islands using a flat bottom barge. As no other option existed, the collected debris was sent to landfill.

In May 2018, a Shruder program was delivered to Ecobarge, sponsored by Coca-Cola South Pacific, which provided the Shruder, working with plastics training, tools and equipment for an onsite plastics recycling plant. Through Plastic Collective’s closed loop network, Ecobarge was partnered with WAW Handplanes (product manufacturer). As recovered ocean plastic is highly sought after by product manufacturers, Ecobarge benefits from above industry prices for their shred. Funds from these sales assists the not-for-profit group to support and expand their environmental education operations including a Marine Debris Education Centre and Marine Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Hospital.

DELIVERY DATE: 

November 2018

PC SYSTEM INSTALLED:

Shruder Mk2

TRAINING:

Global Plastic Problem
Plastics Knowledge
Operations (Shruder) 

Marine debris and ghost gear impacts coastal regions in the Gulf of Carpentria including ghost gear and single-use plastics. As part of the caring for country, Land and Sea Rangers run regular coastal cleanups to remove tonnes of marine debris from rivers and beaches, in an effort to protect habitats including turtle nesting grounds and vital marine life habitats. These marine debris cleanups regularly bring in over 5 tons of materials a year, however the disposal of this material in local landfills was a serious concern for remote communities. The floodplains of the extensive southern gulf region meant that in the rainy season materials in dump sites could easily flow back into the river systems, these communities want to reduce the landfill volume and keep the waterways clean.

In 2020, Plastic Collective (PC) received an environmental grant from Coca-Cola Australia Foundation with partners with Earthwatch Australia (EW) and the Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (CLCAC) to develop and deliver a project in the southern Gulf of Carpentaria. This project called ‘Wetlands Not Wastelands’ focused on mangrove health and addressing plastic pollution. After two years of Covid lockdown delays, PC delivered the final stage of an Indigenous Recycling Centre in the in Burketown and Normanton in August, 2022. PC was responsible for training over 20 Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers in the identification and sorting of marine debris and household plastics, and safe processing through granulating and baling to produce saleable materials. While, Earthwatch Australia trained the Rangers in mangrove and saltmarsh identification, and surveys which included marine debris transects and monitoring the health of the mangroves after the largest die-back of mangroves was witnessed in the Southern Gulf region a number of years ago.

DELIVERY DATE: 

August 2021

PC SYSTEM INSTALLED:

Concentration Recycling Station – Granulator & 2 Balers

TRAINING:

Global Plastic Problem
Plastics Knowledge
Operations (Recovery/Concentration)

OTHER:

EEC, SWP