Indonesians can get bus ride free of cost by giving plastic waste
Commuters can ride red city buses by dropping off plastic bottles at terminals or directly paying.
Jakarta (Web Desk) - Indonesia’s second-largest city has come up with a novel way to encourage its populace to recycle waste by giving free bus rides in exchange for used plastic bottles.
Under the scheme launched by Surabaya in April, commuters can ride red city buses by dropping off plastic bottles at terminals or directly ‘paying’ a fare with bottles.
To achieve the target of becoming plastic free waste by 2020, A two-hour bus ticket costs 10 plastic cups or up to five plastic bottles, depending on their size has been set by city administration.
“Garbage, like plastic bottles, piles up in my neighbourhood, so I brought it here so the environment is not only cleaner but also to help ease the workload of garbage collectors,” said Surabaya.
City data shows that 15 percent, or nearly 400 tonnes, of Surabaya’s daily waste is plastic.
A bus can collect up to 250 kg (550 lb) of plastic bottles a day, or roughly 7.5 tonnes in a month, the data shows.
After collection, labels and bottle caps are removed from the waste and it is auctioned off to recycling companies, so money earned from the auction goes towards running the bus operations and to fund green spaces in the city.
