#TukarPakaiSampah is a collaboration program between BANANA & Partners and Future Builder program by Pijar Future Builder. #TukarPakaiSampah focuses on plastic waste and used cooking oil problem in coastal areas.

Used cooking oil is one of the organic wastes produced by households. According to the 2019 Indonesia Oilseeds and Products Annual, consumption of household cooking oil in Indonesia in 2019 reached up to 13 million tons. Likewise, plastic waste in Indonesia reaches 66 million tons per year (BPS 2021).

Fun fact, every time they go out to sea, fishermen use cooking oil for cooking in the middle of the sea. Unfortunately, the cooking oil that has been used is immediately thrown into the open sea. Used cooking oil can harm health and the environment. If used cooking oil ends up in a lake or sea, the oil fat will gather and form a layer that can cover the water surface. This condition will disrupt the photosynthesis process of plants and reduce the oxygen levels needed by marine biota.

On the other hand, some communities in coastal areas still throw plastic waste into the sea. Plastic waste continues to grow and can threaten the lives of marine species (fish, marine mammals, sea birds). It takes tens to hundreds of years for plastic to decompose completely.

We exist with #TukarPakaiSampah program which is an initiation program to exchange 2 liters of used cooking oil for 1 liter of biodiesel (B100) produced by BANANA & Partners as fuel for fishing boats. Coastal communities can also exchange plastic waste for cash.

Our main partner is Kelompok Nelayan GANEBA located in East Balikpapan. The location of this beach is close to TPA (Tempat Pembuangan Akhir/Final Disposal Site) and about 15 km from the center of Balikpapan City and PANDORA, BANANA & Partners. GANEBA has 240 fishermen with a total of 200 boats.

According to Boben, chairman of Kelompok Nelayan GANEBA, a fishing boat can consume up to 70 liters of diesel in one trip out to the sea. In one month fishermen can go out to the sea about 20 times, so that one fisherman can spend 1,400 L per month.

In #TukarPakaiSampah Program, we also partner with Kelompok Nelayan Mangrove, Bank Sampah Kota Hijau, and PT. Dermaga Perkasapratama.

We have socialized #TukarPakaiSampah program which was enthusiastically welcomed by fishermen and the community. BANA Diesel is proven to be used as an alternative fuel after testing it on one of the fishermen’s boats.

Picking-up of segregated plastic waste and used cooking oil is carried out regularly at each of our partners. We process used cooking oil become BANA Diesel with our waste-to-energy and waste-to-material facilities, called PANDORA (Pusar Industri Daur Oelang Rumahan). And then, our BANA Diesel is given to the fishermen and the community.

Through this program, we help the community, especially coastal areas and fishermen, to change their habit of throwing wastes into the sea and using BANA Diesel as a renewable energy.