We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
From Waste Colonialism to Environmental Justice: Lessons from Indonesia’s Plastic Pollution Crisis
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed Indonesia's plastic pollution crisis through an environmental justice lens, finding that waste imports from the Global North exacerbate coastal contamination in Java and Bali, and arguing that community-led circular economy models and transnational accountability mechanisms are needed over purely technocratic solutions.
Indonesia’s plastic pollution crisis reflects global structural inequalities termed waste colonialism, the export of waste from the Global North to developing nations. This study critiques technocratic solutions (e.g., recycling) that overlook socio-political drivers and proposes an environmental justice framework. Through mixed-methods analysis integrating policy reviews, participatory interviews, and spatial mapping, the findings revealed that waste colonialism exacerbates coastal pollution in Java and Bali, driven by imports from the Global North. Effective interventions require community-led circular economy models rooted in local cooperation (gotong royong) and transnational accountability mechanisms to hold waste-exporting nations responsible. This study bridges contamination theory with geopolitical dynamics, highlighting the necessity of policy reforms to curb exploitative waste trade and empower marginalized communities. Environmental governance must prioritize cultural and social equity along with technological fixes to address systemic inequities. These insights underscore the urgency of reimagining global waste regimes through non-justice-centered frameworks.
More Papers Like This
Addressing Plastic Waste in Bali, Indonesia: Learning from Global NGO Initiatives and Government Policies
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines plastic pollution in Bali, Indonesia, where high tourist volumes and poor waste management combine to create severe environmental contamination of freshwater and marine ecosystems. It highlights the need to adopt successful NGO models, accelerate recycling infrastructure, and implement a circular economy approach to address the problem sustainably.
Ocean plastic crisis—Mental models of plastic pollution from remote Indonesian coastal communities
AI summary Read the abstract
Remote coastal communities in Indonesia are overwhelmed by plastic pollution despite low plastic literacy, largely because rising living standards have increased single-use plastic consumption while geography and poor waste infrastructure leave communities with few disposal options. The study highlights the need for supply-side interventions and better waste management systems, not just consumer education.
Plastics pollution as waste colonialism in Te Moananui
AI summary Read the abstract
Through interviews with nineteen key decision-makers, researchers examined how Pacific Island nations are affected by plastics pollution through the lens of waste colonialism. The study argues that the flow of plastic waste from wealthy nations to Pacific communities represents a form of environmental injustice, with island nations bearing disproportionate impacts from pollution they did not create.
Towards a Just Circular Economy Transition: the Case of European Plastic Waste Trade to Vietnam for Recycling
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how half of Europe's collected plastic waste is shipped to countries like Vietnam for recycling without adequate oversight, arguing that this practice shifts environmental and health burdens to lower-income nations and calling for a justice-focused global framework to govern plastic waste trade.
Mapping Mismanaged Plastic Waste in Indonesia: Subdistrict-level Analysis through Material Flow from Sources to the Environment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted sub-district-level material flow analysis across Indonesia to map where plastic waste is mismanaged most severely, moving beyond national aggregates to pinpoint local hotspots where leakage into the environment is highest and targeted intervention would have the greatest impact.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.