Bintan, Indonesia

Bintan, Indonesia

Story

​​Bintan Island, the original Seven Clean Seas Impact Project, is home to 150,000 residents and vibrant marine life, and faces severe ocean plastic pollution. Currents bring ocean plastic waste to its shores, compounded by inadequate waste management. Dugongs, dolphins, and sea turtles are at risk. 

As the North East Monsoon subsides and the South West Monsoon emerges, Bintan Island becomes a nexus for global plastic pollution. Positioned at the southern tip of the South China Sea, it welcomes debris from some of the world's most plastic-polluted waters, enveloping the Marine Protected Area, mangroves, and beaches.

Compounded by inadequate waste management, coastal and fishing communities contribute to the deterioration of once-pristine waters.

During the South West Monsoon, a shift in the type of plastic pollution is evident—from international plastic waste adorned with foreign languages to locally sourced post-consumer packaging and extensive ghost nets from the fishing industry.

The data highlights this transition, revealing the island's struggle with both long-distance-traveled plastics and locally generated waste. Our collection crews have been tirelessly combating this crisis since 2020. They grapple not only with the immediate impact of marine pollution but also the complex interplay between seasonal monsoons, global plastic influx, and local waste mismanagement, underscoring the urgency of sustained efforts to preserve Bintan's marine ecosystem.

How it works

Coastal Collection

Bintan, Indonesia

1
Target
  • Coastal communities do not have access to waste management, which becomes the potential ocean plastics to Bintan's Marine Protected Areas.
  • By targeting these areas, we help improve the  environmental quality and social livelihoods onin Bintan Island.

2
Collection
  • Seven Clean Seas hires and trains local community members to perform manual plastic waste collection.
  • We provide give formal employment with decent wages and social benefits such as health insurance, pension, and other social security.

3
Material Recovery Facility
  • Going beyond its traditional efforts, we launched our first Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Bintan.
  • This facility opens the gate of our circularity journey and allows us to retrieve collected plastic for reprocessing and recycling – plastic circularity!

Behind the
scenes footage

What can
you do

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