The concept of extended producer responsibility (EPR) for handling the end-of-life stage of products in Indonesia dated back to 2008 as promulgated in the Solid Waste Management Law No.18/2008. Article 15 of the law stipulates that producers are responsible for the management of its packaging and/or products that are difficult or non-biodegradable. Furthermore, the Law No.81/2012 on the Management of Household Waste and Household-like Waste provides more details on how producers are obligated to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste.
In efforts to enforce commitment from producers to reduce household waste, the Presidential Decree No. 97/2017 on National Policies and Strategies for the Management of Household Waste and Household-like Waste requested national and local governments to formulate waste reduction and treatment plans spanning from 2017-2025 in which EPR is proposed as one of the measures. Against this backdrop, and further reinforced by the Presidential Decree No.83/2018 on Marine Debris Handling, the Government of Indonesia established the legal framework for the implementation of EPR in the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of Indonesia No.75/2019 on Waste Reduction Roadmap by Producers, which was enacted on December 5 th , 2019.
Table 1. Summary of policies, plans, and regulations regarding EPR for packaging in Indonesia.
Policies, Plans, and Regulations | Promulgation Date | Status |
Law No. 18/2008 on Solid Waste Management | 7 May 2008 | In effect |
Law No. 81/2012 on the Management of Household Waste and Household-like Waste | 15 October 2012 | In effect |
Presidential Decree No. 97/2017 on National Policies and Strategies for the Management of Household Waste and Household-like Waste | 24 October 2017 | In effect |
Presidential Decree No.83/2018 on Marine Debris Handling | 21 September 2018 | In effect |
Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of Indonesia No.75/2019 on Waste Reduction Roadmap by Producers | 5 December 2019 | In effect |
The regulation is imposed on producers, which are identified as business entities that produce, import, or sell products made of and products packaged using materials that are difficult or non-biodegradable. The sectors and sub-sectors of obligated producers are further specified into the following:
Food and beverage industry, other consumer goods industry, cosmetics and personal care industry
Diners, cafes, restaurants, catering services, hotels
Shopping centers, modern stores, traditional markets
Obligated producers are required to reduce waste of packaging and products made from plastics, aluminum cans, glass, and paper, which are non-biodegradable, non-recyclable, and/or non-reusable. The list of packaging items covered under the regulation is detailed in the Table 2 below.
Table 2. List of packaging items covered under Indonesia’s EPR scheme.
Manufacturing | Food and beverage services | Retail |
|
|
|
The Waste Reduction Roadmap is scheduled for implementation from 2020 to 2029, during which producers are required to undertake the steps outlined below.
Planning
Submitting a strategic plan for waste reduction, which comprises information on the baseline of current waste generation, targets and timeline for waste reduction, targeted products, and measures taken to implement waste reduction.
Implementation
Achieving waste reduction targets through activities stated in the submitted strategic plan.
Monitoring
Monitoring the type and number of products and packaging produced and/or used and reduced as well as the measures implemented to achieve it. The monitoring shall be conducted on a bi-annual basis at the very least.
Evaluation
Comparing between waste reduction targets and achievements during the period and identifying challenges in the implementation.
Reporting
Submitting a report on, among others, the type and number of raw materials reduced, biodegradable packaging produced, and reusable and/or recyclable raw materials used, as well as evaluation on the implementation of waste reduction plan.
In summary, producers must submit two (2) types of documents: a strategic plan for waste reduction, and annual implementation reports.
Measures taken by producers in reducing waste align with the 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) approach as mandated by Article 6 of the regulation:
Table 3. Approaches and measures to be included in producer’s 3R plan for products and packaging.
Approach | Measures |
Waste reduction |
|
Waste reuse | Utilization of reusable raw materials. |
Waste recycling |
|
The implementation of waste recycling and reuse must be complemented by take-back or collection schemes, along with the provision of storage facilities. These facilities may take the form of cooperations with waste banks, Waste Processing Sites - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle also known as “Tempat Pengolahan Sampah Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” (TPS3R), or recycling centres. In addition to this, waste recycling and reuse can only be regarded as successful when producers collect their own product packaging.
The regulation mentions that producers may assign a third party to conduct these activities in Article 16 but provides no explanation on the institutionalization of a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO).
In executing the roadmap, producers are expected to develop the plan for waste reduction during the period of 2020 to 2022, followed by the cyclical process of implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting from 2023 to 2029.
Through this regulation, it is targeted that producers reduce the waste generated from their own products by 30 percent by 2029. The target amount of waste to be reduced is calculated based on the baseline amount of waste generated as stated in the plan. By the end of 2029, numerous single-use plastic items are set to be phased out, including Styrofoam for food packaging, plastic cutlery, plastic straws, plastic shopping bags, and small-sized packaging.
In order to incite greater participation from producers, the law delineates incentives and awards. On the other hand, producers may also receive public scrutiny for failure in abiding by the regulation.
Table 4. Roles and responsibilities under Indonesia’s EPR scheme for packaging.
Responsibility | Upstream | Downstream | |
Product Design | Collection | Recycling | |
Physical responsibility | Producers | Producers | Producers |
Financial responsibility | Producers | Producers | Producers |
*This is based on the regulation, not on the current waste management system in Indonesia.
Updated as of 21 March 2024.
The concept of extended producer responsibility (EPR) for handling the end-of-life stage of products in Indonesia dated back to 2008 as promulgated in the Solid Waste Management Law No.18/2008. Article 15 of the law stipulates that producers are responsible for the management of its packaging and/or products that are difficult or non-biodegradable. Furthermore, the Law No.81/2012 on the Management of Household Waste and Household-like Waste provides more details on how producers are obligated to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste.
In efforts to enforce commitment from producers to reduce household waste, the Presidential Decree No. 97/2017 on National Policies and Strategies for the Management of Household Waste and Household-like Waste requested national and local governments to formulate waste reduction and treatment plans spanning from 2017-2025 in which EPR is proposed as one of the measures. Against this backdrop, and further reinforced by the Presidential Decree No.83/2018 on Marine Debris Handling, the Government of Indonesia established the legal framework for the implementation of EPR in the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of Indonesia No.75/2019 on Waste Reduction Roadmap by Producers, which was enacted on December 5 th , 2019.
Table 1. Summary of policies, plans, and regulations regarding EPR for packaging in Indonesia.
Policies, Plans, and Regulations | Promulgation Date | Status |
Law No. 18/2008 on Solid Waste Management | 7 May 2008 | In effect |
Law No. 81/2012 on the Management of Household Waste and Household-like Waste | 15 October 2012 | In effect |
Presidential Decree No. 97/2017 on National Policies and Strategies for the Management of Household Waste and Household-like Waste | 24 October 2017 | In effect |
Presidential Decree No.83/2018 on Marine Debris Handling | 21 September 2018 | In effect |
Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of Indonesia No.75/2019 on Waste Reduction Roadmap by Producers | 5 December 2019 | In effect |
The regulation is imposed on producers, which are identified as business entities that produce, import, or sell products made of and products packaged using materials that are difficult or non-biodegradable. The sectors and sub-sectors of obligated producers are further specified into the following:
Food and beverage industry, other consumer goods industry, cosmetics and personal care industry
Diners, cafes, restaurants, catering services, hotels
Shopping centers, modern stores, traditional markets
Obligated producers are required to reduce waste of packaging and products made from plastics, aluminum cans, glass, and paper, which are non-biodegradable, non-recyclable, and/or non-reusable. The list of packaging items covered under the regulation is detailed in the Table 2 below.
Table 2. List of packaging items covered under Indonesia’s EPR scheme.
Manufacturing | Food and beverage services | Retail |
|
|
|
The Waste Reduction Roadmap is scheduled for implementation from 2020 to 2029, during which producers are required to undertake the steps outlined below.
Planning
Submitting a strategic plan for waste reduction, which comprises information on the baseline of current waste generation, targets and timeline for waste reduction, targeted products, and measures taken to implement waste reduction.
Implementation
Achieving waste reduction targets through activities stated in the submitted strategic plan.
Monitoring
Monitoring the type and number of products and packaging produced and/or used and reduced as well as the measures implemented to achieve it. The monitoring shall be conducted on a bi-annual basis at the very least.
Evaluation
Comparing between waste reduction targets and achievements during the period and identifying challenges in the implementation.
Reporting
Submitting a report on, among others, the type and number of raw materials reduced, biodegradable packaging produced, and reusable and/or recyclable raw materials used, as well as evaluation on the implementation of waste reduction plan.
In summary, producers must submit two (2) types of documents: a strategic plan for waste reduction, and annual implementation reports.
Measures taken by producers in reducing waste align with the 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) approach as mandated by Article 6 of the regulation:
Table 3. Approaches and measures to be included in producer’s 3R plan for products and packaging.
Approach | Measures |
Waste reduction |
|
Waste reuse | Utilization of reusable raw materials. |
Waste recycling |
|
The implementation of waste recycling and reuse must be complemented by take-back or collection schemes, along with the provision of storage facilities. These facilities may take the form of cooperations with waste banks, Waste Processing Sites - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle also known as “Tempat Pengolahan Sampah Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” (TPS3R), or recycling centres. In addition to this, waste recycling and reuse can only be regarded as successful when producers collect their own product packaging.
The regulation mentions that producers may assign a third party to conduct these activities in Article 16 but provides no explanation on the institutionalization of a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO).
In executing the roadmap, producers are expected to develop the plan for waste reduction during the period of 2020 to 2022, followed by the cyclical process of implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting from 2023 to 2029.
Through this regulation, it is targeted that producers reduce the waste generated from their own products by 30 percent by 2029. The target amount of waste to be reduced is calculated based on the baseline amount of waste generated as stated in the plan. By the end of 2029, numerous single-use plastic items are set to be phased out, including Styrofoam for food packaging, plastic cutlery, plastic straws, plastic shopping bags, and small-sized packaging.
In order to incite greater participation from producers, the law delineates incentives and awards. On the other hand, producers may also receive public scrutiny for failure in abiding by the regulation.
Table 4. Roles and responsibilities under Indonesia’s EPR scheme for packaging.
Responsibility | Upstream | Downstream | |
Product Design | Collection | Recycling | |
Physical responsibility | Producers | Producers | Producers |
Financial responsibility | Producers | Producers | Producers |
*This is based on the regulation, not on the current waste management system in Indonesia.
Updated as of 21 March 2024.
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