LocationsFrom The Shore to Success: Conplas' Journey in Transforming Waste and Empowering Communities
January 24, 2024
At the heart of Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, the 34-year-old lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Mataram, Sudirman, sees concerns about Indonesia's polluted shores.
“The sight of Indonesia's polluted shores saddens me. It was the opposite of my childhood memories of the clean shores I enjoyed. I worry that future generations may never witness the extraordinary beauty of Indonesia's shores due to human carelessness,” he said.
Driven to preserve the beauty of Lombok, Sudirman took a step forward by establishing Conplas – a waste management startup in Lombok that focuses on transforming non-recyclable waste into valuable products. As a Founder of Conplas and a lecturer, Sudirman realized his dual roles could create an impactful action through research on innovative waste recycling technologies along with fostering awareness of the people of Lombok to preserve the environment.
Sudirman at the Socialization of Waste Management at SMPN 2 Mataram
Conplas converts plastic waste into permanent-use products: eco-blocks and eco-grease. These eco-blocks, comprising non-recycled plastic, serve as environmentally friendly infrastructure materials like paving and pot blocks. Additionally, eco-grease comes from processed plastic waste and serves as a solid lubricant, commonly used as a material for vehicles.
He applied his scientific knowledge to address concerns regarding the plastic waste issue on the Lombok coast. By creating non-recyclable waste into useful products, Conplas actively reduces waste, aiming to extend the life cycle of products – contributing to SDG 12 on Responsible Production and Consumption and exemplifying the principles of a circular economy.
The Production of Eco-Blocks by Conplas
The Production of Eco-Blocks by Conplas
The Production of Eco-Blocks by Conplas
“I realized that one of the challenges I had to face was finding ways to increase public awareness towards the plastic waste issue,” said Sudirman.
To address the challenge, he designed a “reward system” in which communities receive financial incentives for their waste contribution to improve the society’s awareness of sorting waste. Aside from giving appreciation to the waste contributors, he succeeded in empowering 15 waste processing service women freelancers – creating economic opportunities and encouraging social inclusivity.
Conplas has changed how people view waste sorting, resulting in a 40% increase in income through contributions to waste banks. Sudirman has engaged waste banks to leverage Conplas’ recycling outcomes in Lombok by transforming non-recyclable plastic into valuable resources. In this collaborative initiative, the waste bank receives compensation ranging from IDR 1,000.00 to IDR 2,000.00 per kilogram, fostering economic empowerment and aligning with the pursuit of SDG 8 to promote Decent Work and Economic Growth.
Nutrifood disposes of the sorted waste for Conplas
In order to achieve broader insight, Sudirman and his colleagues embarked on a transformative journey with the BFA program. Throughout the six-month journey, the Conplas team actively engaged in intensive training, immersing themselves in the ins and outs of the business, blue-sector dynamics, and Impact Measurement and Management (IMM).
Sudirman, acknowledging the intensive training from BFA, shared that the program has deepened the Conplas’ team knowledge, business confidence, and also expanded their connections with investors and key players in the blue sector.
“Demo day left a lasting impression on me. I presented Conplas’ business, engaged with fellow startups and SMEs, and participated in matchmaking sessions with investors. This enhanced our business capacity, fostering the public’s trust in Conplas,” Sudirman remarked.
Conplas Team in the Blue Finance Accelerator 2023
BFA has significantly impacted Conplas. Sudirman and his team succeeded in increasing cooperation between the government and schools for waste management workshops in Lombok. He recounts his excitement about the growing workshop participation, boosting awareness of waste reduction through Conplas’ recycling initiatives.
Conplast in the Tambora Sumbawa Exhibition
While focused on Lombok, Sudirman and the Conplas team intend to expand their work to other coastal islands in Indonesia, such as Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno. The goal is to ensure that Indonesia will no longer hold the status as the world’s second-largest contributor to global waste, aiding efforts to reduce marine pollution, as outlined in SDG 14 on Life Below Water.
Sorted waste that will be processed into eco-block and eco-grease products by Conplas
Sudirman aspires Conplas to become Indonesia's leading sustainable waste management enterprise. With the capacity building guidance from the BFA, Sudirman and his Conplas colleagues are confident in achieving its objectives in both waste management education to the public and producing innovative recycled permanent-use materials.
Witness their commitment to sustainable development and discover how they positively impact the environment and local communities at https://conplas.id/about-us/.
About Blue Finance Accelerator 2023
The blog article is a part of #BlueFinanceAccelerator2023 Human-interest Story series. BFA is a six-month accelerator program that provides capacity development and support mechanisms for business models and impact measurements for startups and SMEs operating in blue sectors. The program was launched by UNDP through the ASSIST JP, supported by the Joint SDG Fund, in cooperation with the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, UNIDO, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and Instellar as the implementing partner.
Written by Belinda Nur Fadillah & Agnes Milka Kurniawan (Innovative Financing Lab, UNDP Indonesia)
Edited by Enggi Dewanti & Elizabeth Gabriela
Media Engagement: Devi Nugraha & Enggi Dewanti