Return System: State of Play, Opportunities and Challenges

Background

The linear economy model has made products after short use treated as valueless waste products thus triggering littering. Furthermore, recycling effort under the linear economy model is ineffective due to its high cost (when compared to acquiring virgin materials), high contamination from other substances, inadequate infrastructure, and limited collection and recycling rate. To move towards circular economy, a systemic effort to keep material circulation within the loop of the production and consumption phase (to avoid downcycling) with the goal of plastic circularity and better performance is needed.  To this end, (deposit) return system is identified to be one of the most effective instruments, not only in terms of limiting waste leakage but also to incentive people to have awareness about their consumption and encourage responsible behavior.

Indonesia has set ambitious goals to tackle plastic leakage into the oceans by 70% in 2025 as mandated by Presidential Regulation 83/2018.  In this regard, Indonesia needs widespread awareness, instruments, and tools that can facilitate the process. Therefore, the implementation of a return system may provide benefits needed by Indonesia and serve as opportunities for effective upstream solutions toward single-use plastic leakage reduction. By bringing together knowledge about return systems implemented globally and their opportunities and challenges, the establishment process in Asia, and lessons learned from businesses in Indonesia, this third episode shall enable participants and decision makers to gain knowledge on how various schemes of return systems can increase the effectiveness of recycling specifically in terms of collection and recycling rate and contribute to the reduction of plastic leakage to the ocean.

The dialogue series is part of GIZ’s module “The Collaborative Actions for Single Use Plastic Prevention in Southeast Asia (CAP SEA)” supported by the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment and NPAP Secretariat. The CAP SEA module is part of GIZ’s global project to support the BMUV’s “Export Initiative Environmental Protection.”

Aim of the event

To provide knowledge of (deposit) return system and share lessons learned from global experience on how the system can provide benefits for plastic waste reduction and support upstream measures for single-use plastic prevention.

Learning outcomes

• To have a shared understanding of benefit SUP reduction through (deposit) return system
• To learn more about the practical implementation of the return system
• To understand what kind of return system can be adopted in the Indonesian context