University Hannover
Plastic waste is accumulating all over the world. In Jakarta, up to 7,000 tons of waste are transported daily to the Bantar Gebang landfill. The problem has a negative impact on people's quality of life as well as on flora and fauna. The goals of our project are varied and address various current problems. All our goals can also be found in the goals of the United Nations. On the one hand, the living situation of the people living on the largest landfill in the world in Bantar Gebang is supposed to be improved. On the other hand, the global plastic pollution, especially in Bantar Gebang, is going to be tackled. Our solution for the growing mountains of garbage is to process shredded plastic flakes from local recycling companies in Bantar Gebang. This will enable us to produce sustainable and meaningful furniture, such as chairs and tables, locally. These will then be sold for a reasonable price in Indonesia. On the other hand, we will also sell a more luxurious and stylish version of our products in Germany. With the income generated, the local population can then be supported by for example providing school books and uniforms in order to give as many children as possible the access to education.With its focus on recycling, Plastained is pursuing the same goals as the Prevent Waste Alliance, so all the ingredients are in place for a fruitful partnership. The platform is an ideal forum for networking, allowing experience to be shared internationally. It also encourages cooperation between members, ensuring that projects are developed quickly and get things right from the outset. Our shared aim is to reduce waste worldwide and get resources back into the production cycle, which is why developing countries and emerging markets are a particular focus.
Plastic pollution is a global problem. Indonesia is particularly badly affected, because it has been buying up plastic waste from third countries for a long time. Bantar Gebang is home to the world’s largest landfill site.
Plastained’s production cycle consists of a number of distinct stages. Our input material is plastic fragments, which form the beginning of the value chain. These fragments find their way into our chairs, along with the recycled wood we use to make the legs. We manufacturer locally in Bantar Gebang, meaning we can process our materials immediately without incurring any transport costs. There is also potential to establish a production facility in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, which is just a few kilometres away. The chairs are sold via an online platform and are geared towards the German designer furniture market. This model allows us to scale up our processes faster and to market our furniture locally at affordable prices. Our chairs are built to last. Once they reach the end of their life cycles, the plastic and wooden components can be separated and recycled. The plastic itself can also be re-processed, allowing damaged areas to be rebuilt and repaired. Alternatively, the chairs can be completely transformed by filling them with new material.