What is a ‘waste bank’? Waste banks – or “bank sampah” as they are called in Indonesian – can be found in neighborhoods across Indonesia – on Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Java. At waste banks, the waste created by the household is divided into two categories – organic and non-organic. Organic waste gets turned into compost, while non-organic waste is divided further into three categories: plastic, paper, plus bottles and metal.
The vast majority of eco-friendly households in Indonesia keep three bins or three large garbage bags in their homes; over time they began separating their waste into three different sections. Once their three bins and garbage bags are filled up, they bring their haul to a neighborhood waste bank where they then “make a deposit”.
Like a regular commercial bank, you open up an account with your local waste bank. Periodically, you make deposits with your non-organic solid waste, which are weighed and given a monetary value, based on rates set by waste collectors. This value is saved in your account from which, like a regular bank, you can withdraw. The basic principles of waste banks remain the same across provinces: collect, save, earn, change behavior, and enjoy a clean neighborhood.
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