Plastik Sulit: Accelerating Circular Economy for Difficult Plastics in Indonesia To reduce plastic pollution and support Indonesiaâ€™s transition to a circular plastics economy through a multi-stakeholder value chain approach demonstrated at city level Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency. This project will deliver socio-economic benefits for diverse communities by reducing marine plastic pollution and restoring the health of rivers, coasts, and marine ecosystems. Over 400,000 metric tons of plastic litter will be avoided because of this project. Ocean plastics have direct economic implications for poor communities and especially women who rely on marine life and ecosystems for their livelihoods. The economic costs of plastic are also felt by people who rely on agriculture as waste often chokes rice fields and other crops.    The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant setbacks in waste management and efforts to transition to a circular plastics economy. In addition to the increased volumes of medical waste and single-use plastics, the COVID-19 pandemic also resulted in loss of livelihoods in the waste management industry. In May 2020, an estimated 63,000 waste workers reportedly lost their livelihood in Indonesia alone.[i] A green and blue recovery from COVID-19 that incorporates waste management, a circular plastics economy, and livelihood creation is crucial. Decent work – jobs that are fair, equitable, safe, and dignified, is a core component of green and blue recovery and will be promoted through the Circular Business Hub's Social Inclusivity Platform and Challenge Program.    Investing in infrastructure, circular business models, and communities ensures a resilient future for the economy and environment. The Blue SEA Finance Hub will support SMEs, including 70 women from waste banks and Family Income Generating Groups, through capacity-building, project development, and innovating financing. The Circular Business Hub Knowledge Market and Social Inclusivity Platform will offer women, independent waste collectors, and other community groups capacity building activities in circular economy solutions, healthy and safety and economic opportunities in waste recycling, and other skills to nurture circular innovations and SMEs.    The Circular Business Hub and other project activities, including better governance and financing mechanisms for plastic waste management and a circular economy, will provide critical public health benefits by providing alternatives to the dumping or burning of plastic. Circular solutions will decrease negative toxin releases from burning plastics, including exposure to furans and dioxins (unintentional POPs) and other negative health outcomes recognized by the Basel and Stockholm Conventions (as outlined in section 7). Plastic toxicity interacts with female bodies differently to male and especially impacts women’s reproductive health, their breastmilk, pregnancies, and unborn children (see endnote v).    The project will also contribute to:  · Restored and sustained freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems, including globally significant biodiversity (Sub-indicator 5.3: estimated 427,670 metric tons of marine litter avoided over 14 years)   · Reduced vulnerability to climate risks, and increased ecosystem resilience through reduced greenhouse gas emissions as a result of better integrated solid waste management (e.g. reduction of volume of wastes in illegal dumpsites, diversion of waste away from landfills and improved management of plastics related wastes)  · Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Core Indicator 6: 191,684 Tonnes CO2e over 14 years)  · Indirectly, reduced and/or avoided chemicals of global concern and their waste in the environment and in processes, materials, and products (Indicator 10: 487.32 g/TEQ over 14 years)          [i] H. Sofia and S. Haryati. 2020. COVID-19: Plastic recycling industry laid off 63 thousand workers. Antara News. 5 May. https://en.antaranews.com/news/147735/covid-19-plastic-recycling-industrylaid-off-63-thousand-workers.