Delterra Indonesia
The Pitch
The Rethinking Recycling initiative transformed waste management in Denpasar by redesigning the entire waste value chain — from household waste separation to collection to sorting to processing — creating cleaner neighborhoods and improving livelihoods.
The Problem
Denpasar generates approximately 195,000 tons of waste annually, yet only 6% is recycled, with the vast majority burned or disposed of in poorly managed landfills. Fragmented governance, limited source separation, unsafe conditions for informal workers and weak recycling markets perpetuate pollution, environmental degradation and public health risks, particularly for low-income communities.
The Process
- Launched the Desa Kedas (in English, “Clean Village”) pilot in Sanur Kauh in 2019 to test a community-led recycling model combining household waste separation, improved collection, safer sorting and stronger village governance
- Expanded the program through the Rethinking Recycling Academy, partnering with villages to strengthen waste governance, improve collection systems and develop long-term waste management roadmaps
- Employed culturally-grounded behavior-change campaigns to encourage waste separation and increase participation in recycling
- Improved working conditions by training informal waste workers, introducing standardized operating procedures and supporting safer, more formal employment
- Established long-term partnerships with village governments, Denpasar City and Badung Regency, supported by formal agreements, local regulations and multi-year implementation roadmaps
- Scaled infrastructure and regional waste processing systems, integrating village facilities with municipal organic waste processing and creating a regional recycling network
- Strengthened links between waste facilities and recycling markets, improving the quality and reliability of recovered materials so that recycling could become economically viable
The Impact
- Expanded from a single pilot village to more than 30 villages, providing sustainable waste services to over 130,000 residents
- Diverted more than 2,700 tons of waste from illegal dumping sites and open burning
- Significantly increased household waste separation, with some communities reaching 80 to 92% participation rates
- Renovated six material recovery facilities and built one new facility, improving waste processing capacity and operational efficiency
- Increased public investment in village waste management by 117%, strengthening local governance, financial sustainability and long-term planning
- Improved wages, working conditions and formal employment opportunities for waste workers through training, standardized operations and access to healthcare and social protections
- Influenced waste policy in Bali by contributing to provincial commitments on source separation and waste reform
- Demonstrated a scalable model for a circular economy across Indonesia
