CSIRO and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have launched a new $1.3 million partnership to work with Indonesia to tackle plastic pollution in the Indo-Pacific.
The Plastics Innovation Hub Indonesia will bring together researchers, investors, businesses, communities and government leaders from around the Indo-Pacific region to develop solutions that can be implemented to address the challenge of plastic waste in the oceans and waterways.
Dr Larry Marshall, CSIRO chief executive, said ocean pollution is a global challenge that Australia can assist with, to deliver both an economic and environmental benefit through an innovative and collaborative approach.
“Science can turn this environmental challenge into an economic opportunity by changing the way we behave, and how we make, use, recycle or dispose of plastics, but it will take partnership across research, business, investors, government and the community to turn the best ideas into real-world solutions,” explained Marshall.
“Social innovation is just as important as scientific innovation in solving these challenges, so it’s exciting to have partners on the ground in the region shaping and scaling behavioural response for their own communities and drive change.”
As part of the CSIRO’s development of a mission to end plastic waste, the Indonesian Hub will draw on the latest advances in technology, such as technologies using AI to identify and trace pollution in waterways, and harnessing enzymes to degrade PET plastic and microplastics.
Penny Williams, Australian ambassador to Indonesia, said the new Hub will help to build on efforts already underway between Australia and Indonesia to address marine plastic pollution in our region.
“The health of our oceans and waterways is linked to our nation’s economic growth and prosperity – both Indonesia and Australia are island nations that share concerns about the impact of marine plastic pollution,” said Williams.
“We hope this initiative encourages international partners in the region to work together to develop robust measures to identify effective interventions, fill research gaps, and maximise the impact of our joint investment of resources to address this challenging issue.”
Professor Nizam, director general of higher education, research and technology at Indonesia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, said the Hub aims to accelerate and scale up the innovation ecosystem.
“Currently, plastic is a problem throughout the world, and the Indonesian government has a target to reduce plastic waste by 70 per cent by 2025. For this reason, the results of this collaboration are expected to assist with overcoming plastic problems in Indonesia,” he said.
“In line with one of the priority issues of Kedaireka: Matching Fund 2022, the green economy, I hope this Innovation Hub can accelerate the development of research and technology, and contribute to plastic solutions worldwide.”
The Hub builds on work CSIRO has been undertaking with the Indonesian government and Udayana University in Bali to measure, analyse and map plastic pollution in Bali, Java and beyond, to identify hotspots and problematic items for targeted interventions.
It also aligns with discussions taking place at the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) to develop a coordinated global response on plastic pollution.
The Hub is part of CSIRO’s developing Ending Plastic Waste Mission, with the goal of an 80 per cent reduction in plastic waste entering the environment by 2030.
