Abundant Plastic Waste, Indonesian Recycling Industry Still Imports Raw Materials

SURABAYA, GARISBUMI.com – Indonesia produces around 10.83 million tons of plastic waste every year. However, the abundance of waste generation is not yet able to meet the demand for raw materials for the domestic recycling industry.

The national recycling industry still has to import around 263 thousand tons of raw materials in 2024 to obtain materials with quality according to industry standards. At the same time, around 61 percent of domestic plastic waste has not been managed optimally.

This issue is of concern to the Ministry of the Environment/Environmental Control Agency (KLH/Environmental Management Agency (BPLH)) in strengthening the implementation of a circular economy and improving national plastic waste management.

This commitment was conveyed in a National Seminar entitled "Circular Economy Principles and Legal Framework for Plastic Waste Management in Fulfilling Domestic Recycled Raw Materials Towards a Clean Indonesia" at Airlangga University, Surabaya, Thursday, September 24 2026.

Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLH)/Main Secretary of Environmental Management Agency (BPLH), Rosa Vivien Ratnawati, emphasized that the circular economy should no longer be viewed simply as a technical choice for waste management.

"Circular economy is not just a technical choice in waste management, but a constitutional instrument. In its application, this is not a choice, but a necessity," said Rosa Vivien in front of the academic community and stakeholders.