Indonesia bets on ‘reuse’ to curb plastic waste and build a circular economy

With the Islamic month of Ramadan now over, a familiar sight has returned to the streets of daytime Jakarta: street vendors serving up chicken porridge, and everyone from office workers to delivery drivers perched on plastic stools around the steaming carts, digging into a bowl of the congee-like breakfast staple.

As with most other street food in the bustling Indonesian capital, bubur ayam, as it’s known, is served in a ceramic bowl with a stainless steel spoon, which are washed after use for the next customer. Get it to go, however, and it’s ladled into a Styrofoam container lined with a plastic sheet, bundled into a plastic bag with a plastic spoon.