Plastic Collective and SEArcular waste Pickers’ in Indonesia
Indonesia stands at the epicentre of the global pollution crisis. The world produces over 300 million tons of plastic annually, and a staggering 8 million tons of it ends up in the ocean. Unfortunately, Indonesia is the world’s second-largest contributor to ocean plastic pollution, responsible for dumping over 620,000 tons of plastic waste into the sea each year. But behind these grim numbers is a story of resilience, innovation, and hope. At Plastic Collective, in partnership with SEArcular and AXA Insurance, we’re fighting back. And at the heart of this battle are the unsung heroes: waste pickers, who work tirelessly to keep our oceans and communities cleaner.
The Indonesian Plastic Pollution Crisis: A Wake-Up Call
Indonesia’s waterways, coastlines, and its most remote islands are drowning in plastic. The consequences of this marine plastic pollution are not just environmental; they are deeply personal. Plastic waste, including single-use plastics and plastic bags, clogs rivers, damages marine ecosystems, and threatens human health. Microplastics and other residues from plastic debris infiltrate the food chain, posing risks to communities and ecosystems alike. In coastal regions, 60% of marine plastic waste remains close to shore, often becoming stranded and endangering livelihoods dependent on fisheries and tourism. Marginalised communities, particularly waste pickers, are most impacted by this crisis, as they work through inadequate solid waste management systems, sifting through mountains of discarded plastic to recover and recycle what society throws away. These people, often invisible, are on the front lines of this battle every day.
The Waste Picker Crisis in Indonesia
Despite the critical role they play in combating single-use plastic waste, waste pickers in Indonesia often face dangerous working conditions without basic healthcare or safety nets. Most waste pickers operate informally, handling hazardous materials with little equipment and no accident or health coverage. This puts their health and safety at constant risk, impacting their livelihoods and well-being.
The Greencore project in Surabaya addresses this directly. Surabaya is one of Indonesia’s largest cities, located on Java island, and serves as the hub for SEArcular’s recycling and waste processing activities. The project connects with third-party suppliers, each working with waste pickers who gather plastic waste from across the region to reduce plastic leakage into the environment. This initiative aims to curb the accumulation of marine plastic debris by collecting and processing waste before it reaches coastal areas and dumpsites. One such supplier currently engages 52 waste pickers who have signed up to the Zero Plastic Ocean Social Plus Standard, which aims to establish safe, fair, and dignified working environments for waste pickers. One of the Social Plus requirements is that waste pickers be provided with basic healthcare and routine medical treatment such as vaccinations.
The Partnership: AXA Insurance and SEArcular
AXA Insurance’s collaboration with SEArcular aims to extend financial inclusion to waste pickers by providing them access to micro-insurance policies. Many of these workers are part of the informal economy, working in hazardous conditions with limited or no protection against workplace accidents, illnesses, or health crises. By offering health insurance, AXA addresses a critical need, ensuring that waste pickers can work in a safer and healthier environment.
This initiative supports SEArcular’s mission to build circular economies around plastic waste collection. By safeguarding the people who are integral to these systems, the partnership boosts the productivity and morale of waste pickers, fostering a more sustainable recycling ecosystem. Waste pickers are essential to Indonesia’s environmental landscape, collecting and sorting waste to prevent plastic from reaching oceans and landfills.
At the heart of this is the partnership with AXA Insurance’s collaboration with SEArcular, designed to provide vital health and accident coverage to the waste pickers who make our work possible. These individuals face daily hazards: working with sharp objects, harmful chemicals, and in unsafe environments. Yet, despite the risks, they lack basic protections and often live without a safety net. AXA’s micro-insurance policies are tailored specifically for them offering health coverage that ensures workers can seek medical care when needed, without the fear of financial ruin.
This insurance isn’t just about health; it’s about dignity. By giving waste pickers access to healthcare, AXA and SEArcular are recognizing their invaluable contribution to society and creating a safer, more equitable environment for all. This move is transformative, signalling that success is not measured by profit alone, but by real-world impact, impact that changes lives, protects families, and strengthens communities.
Max Craipeau with SEArcular waste pickers
The collected waste is transported to SEArculars’ recycling centre for aggregation and sorting
SEArcular and Plastic Collective: Social Plus Standard: Setting New Benchmarks for Waste Picker Safety
Our project partnership with SEArcular in Java, Indonesia, is designed to uplift and empower these workers, who play a pivotal role in keeping plastic waste out of the ocean. In Surabaya, SEArcular engages a local plastic collection network and operates a recycling facility that produces recycled plastic pellets for use by downstream manufacturers to make recycled plastic products, displacing virgin plastic in the process. This partnership is a significant part of our wider circularity mission to turn plastic waste into a resource that benefits both the community and earth. As waste pickers participate in this model, they receive a stable income, insurance through AXA, and safer working conditions. It’s a comprehensive framework that demonstrates the power of aligned, socially responsible business practices.
There are plans to expand this coverage across additional suppliers and stakeholders, progressively ensuring that more waste pickers are not only recognized for their essential work in addressing plastic consumption but also safeguarded under these important initiatives. By enhancing collection services and support systems, this phased approach will allow SEArcular and Plastic Collective to bring more waste pickers into the Social Plus fold, increasing access to AXA’s life-enhancing insurance as the program grows across Indonesia.
The Future of Plastic Waste Management in Indonesia
This partnership is a testament to what can happen when businesses, local communities, local government, and global organisations come together to tackle plastic pollution. But it’s also just the beginning. Addressing Indonesia’s plastic crisis requires sustained initiatives, from establishing reliable collection centres to supporting waste workers and improving recycling infrastructure. Every piece of plastic collected and every worker insured brings us one step closer to a sustainable future
Surabaya’s Greencore project sets a powerful example for other Indonesian cities and global communities across Southeast Asia facing plastic waste challenges. By combining environmental responsibility with social accountability, the project demonstrates that waste management can be a vehicle for economic empowerment. With support from the National Plastic Action Partnership and collaboration with global governments, we are addressing Indonesia’s plastic crisis. Protecting waste pickers through Social Plus standards and AXA insurance is a crucial step toward a solution that benefits both people and the planet.
Clean Up and transportation of plastic waste back to the SEArcular collection and recycling facility
Take Action Today:
Waste pickers are some of the most vulnerable yet essential players in the fight against plastic pollution and plastic waste reduction. With support from SEArcular, AXA, Plastic Collective, and the Indonesian government, we can implement an action plan to create safer and more equitable working conditions for these critical workers in Surabaya and beyond. By establishing initiatives focused on waste reduction and sustainable practices, we are empowering waste pickers, protecting our oceans, and building a sustainable future.
