NPR

Can Bioplastics Turn The Tide On Indonesia's Waste Problem?

Indonesia is the world's second largest source of marine plastic waste, following China.
Trash Heroes pictured during a cleanup meet-up on Saba Beach, Bali, Indonesia, in July 2018. (Courtesy of Niall Macaulay)

It’s early morning on Saba Beach, on Bali’s east coast. Around 50 people in yellow “I am a Trash Hero” T-shirts comb the coastline. Organizing them is Wayan Aksara, of Trash Hero Indonesia, a community group with 38 chapters across the island nation.

In one year alone, the volunteers have collected 15 metric tons of plastic trash. Aksara knows, though, that picking up trash will not solve the problem.

“The more important is that we educate

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