Circular Economy (CE) with the focus on solid waste management is one of the key priorities of the Indonesian - German development cooperation. The project "InCircular: Promoting a Circular Economy in Indonesia" BMZ is supporting the Indonesian Ministry for National Development Planning (Bappenas) to implement the national Circular Economy Roadmap and Action Plan. Three material streams are of particular focus, namely packaging waste (plastics, aluminium, glass, paper, etc.), electronic waste and residual waste to be used as refuse-derived fuel (RDF). The assignment is implemented under InCircular and steered jointly by GIZ and Bappenas.
InCircular pursues 5 Outputs (components):
1. Support the steering of the implementation of the CE Roadmap and Action Plan;
2. Enhance regulatory frameworks for CE and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for selected material streams;
3. Strengthen collaboration with industry for the implementation of CE and EPR for selected material streams;
4. Advance CE in waste management in selected provinces and municipalities; and
5. Advance Green/Sustainable Public Procurement for selected goods.
This assignment is primarily anchored within Output 2.
Indonesia generates approximately 70 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, of which an estimated 50-60% is mismanaged. Only 10-15% of plastic waste is recycled; the remainder is disposed of in uncontrolled landfills or leaks into the environment. Waste prevention and circular approaches for valuable materials remain rudimentary. Packaging waste is the most challenging stream. Single-use plastics, multilayer flexibles and PET account for a dominant share of leakage into rivers, coastal zones and the marine environment.
To date, no comprehensive legal framework for EPR has been established. However, mandatory EPR for packaging is widely recognised by the GoI, the private sector, and Indonesia's international partners as one central policy instrument to internalise the costs of packaging waste, mobilise private capital for collection and recycling infrastructure, and establish a level playing field across obligated producers.
Indonesia has built a credible legal foundation on which EPR can be implemented. Furthermore, as of July 2026, a new Presidential Decree on Waste Management (JAKSTRANAS) as well as a revised MoE Ministerial Regulation on the implementation of EPR are being finalized and expected for late 2026. These would outline mandatory EPR for packaging and its modalities, marking a milestone in reforming waste management. These regulations also open the opportunity for this assignment to assist in shaping Indonesia"s future EPR governance, as one principal constraint is the absence of a functional, mandatory producer registry.
A mandatory registry is the principal instrument for establishing a level playing field among obligated producers. It would also generate the data base on which the entire system is calibrated. Placed-on-market (POM) data, disaggregated by material category and packaging format, is the reference quantity for recycling rate calculation, collection target setting, producer market share determination, fee rate setting, and estimation of required infrastructure capacity. Registry data further enables eco-modulation of fees to be set by the PRO according to recyclability, recycled content or design criteria. The registry therefore enables the financial architecture of the system. Registration is what makes EPR obligations enforceable, since in established systems it carries direct legal effect.
Registry data finally provides the Government of Indonesia with a consolidated evidence base for reporting against national commitments and against international obligations relating to marine plastic pollution.
The objective of this assignment is to develop a concept and strategy for the establishment of a professional, modern EPR Registry for Packaging, in line with international best practice and adjusted to the local context and latest regulatory developments in Indonesia. If the Indonesian government is advancing as expected and requires assistance in specific tasks related to the setup and operationalization of the registry, further support the implementation of such registry via technical assistance in the form of trainings, advisory services and overall capacity development.
With this, it should contribute to supporting the Government of Indonesia in addressing packaging waste pollution through EPR by assisting to conceptualize, develop and establish relevant institutions, procedures, capacities and mechanisms, including consulting closely with affected private sector stakeholders.
The assignment comprises the following work packages:
Work package 1: EPR Registry Concept & Strategy Development
This work package is the cornerstone of the contract. It encompasses a baseline analysis, the development of the concept and strategy for the EPR Registry in Indonesia.
Work package 2: Capacity Development & Private Sector Consultations
This work package comprises specific capacity development measures like trainings and workshops with public institutions on the development and implementation of the EPR registry concept as well as stakeholder consultations with the private sector in order to make the implementation of the system viable.
Work package 3: (On Demand) Advisory Services for the Implementation of EPR
This work package comprises more general, demand-based capacity development of the implementation of EPR in general.
An expert team of a team leader, an EPR expert and a junior expert with national expertise as well as 2 pools of experts with international experience and with national Indonesian experience on EPR-related issues and registries is foreseen for implementing the assignment.