Description

Marine waste is an especially huge concern for Indonesia, being an archipelagic state and, therefore, surrounded by water. Indonesia aims to reduce marine plastic litter by 70% by 2025 and there are various government agencies set up solely to deal with this issue. Solutions encompass getting to the source of marine waste and revolutionising current habits and systems. This includes changing the way items are disposed and improving wastewater filtering. The Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge (EPPIC) is an ASEAN-wide competition that invites innovators to share their ideas for tackling plastic pollution with the world. It is spearheaded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). The opportunities that EPPIC provides include receiving seed funding and incubation training, so that innovators can maximise their chances of success. EPPIC 2021 attracted a variety of participants from diverse backgrounds. Finalists were put through a two-month incubation program, which consisted of classes and coaching sessions. The most critical stage of this journey was the final pitching, when participants pitched their ideas. This report summarises what took place at EPPPIC 2021 and the lessons that were uncovered during the sessions. It explores the background of the marine waste issue and suggests a multi-disciplinary approach as well as multi-stakeholder collaboration.