A Systems Analytics Approach to Reduce Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution is a critical threat to marine ecosystems, particularly in Indonesia, which generates around 7 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with only 39% collected. Without intervention, ocean plastic leakage could rise by 30% by 2025 and double by 2040, leading to severe consequences.

The Indonesian government aims to reduce marine plastic debris by 70% by 2025 and establish a circular economy for plastics by 2040, coordinated through national coordination team  for marine debris management (TKN-PSL). However, challenges such as rising single-use plastic production and poor waste management hinder progress.

The Plastics in Indonesian Societies (PISCES) partnership was formed to address these issues, bringing together experts to develop a comprehensive research program. Funded by UK Research and Innovation, the PISCES Research Programme (2021-2024) employs a systems approach to understand plastic waste management failures. The findings, structured in six interconnected work packages, aim to empower policymakers with evidence-based strategies to combat plastic pollution and support sustainable development goals (SDGs) 3, 4, 11, 12, and 14.