Project STOP

Project STOP partners with cities and local government to build resilient and economically sustainable waste systems that eliminate leakage of plastics into the environment and ocean.  

Nearly 80% of plastic waste in aquatic ecosystems comes from land sources. About 50% of this comes from emerging countries like Indonesia, China, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. Project STOP aims to assist countries like Indonesia who have pledged to reduce the country ocean levels by 70% by 2025. This is to be done by helping establish an effective waste management system in the country.  

Launched in 2017, Project STOP is an initiative co-founded by Borealis and SYSTEMIQ that designs, implements, and scales circular economy solutions to prevent plastic pollution in Southeast Asia. Project STOP supports cities with experienced waste management, plastic recycling, organic waste management, community engagement, behavior change and program governance experts. The team works in a simple system:  

• Scoping: Assessing cities for ocean pollution and government involvement. 
• Preparation & Design: Stakeholder agreements to build an effective waste management system. 
• Implementation: Equip the community to operate the waste management system economically. 
• Scale Up: Expanding to new regions to establish change.  

Working with companies, local governments and community groups, Project STOP also aims to create new jobs in waste management and reduce the harmful impact of mismanaged waste on public health, tourism and fisheries. Project STOP’s long-term ambition is to establish new solutions and models that can be rapidly scaled-up across the whole plastics chain, from the uses of plastic to waste collection and recycling, in areas where there is need to improve the management of plastic waste.

Project STOP currently works in the coastal cities of Muncar in East Java, Lekok and Ngulign in Pasuruan in East Java, and Jembrana in northwest Bali.   Along with co-founders SYSTEMIQ and Borealis, Project Stop’s strategic partners include the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nova Chemicals, Nestlé, Alliance to End Plastic Waste and Borouge.