First established in 1985, Inter Aneka Lestari Kimia is well known in the Indonesian construction-related chemical products manufacturing industry as the innovative developer of waterproof coating, AQUAPROOF^®. To serve the growing plastics industry in the country, in 1990 the company moved into the plastics manufacturing industry as the premier supplier of masterbatch and polymer compounds made available in a broad selection of colorants and additives.
Building upon their reputation for adeptly adapting to varied client requests for new, unique characteristics to be added to plastic products, Inter Aneka Lestari Kimia undertook its most challenging venture in 2006 upon deciding to enter the bio-based polymer compound industry. Drawing upon their understanding of plastics manufacturing, the company invested heavily in a research and development division dedicated to creating cost effective and eco-friendly alternatives to PE plastic bags. Following six years of thorough testing and capacity building, ENVIPLAST^® was formally introduced to the market during the 2011 Southeast Asian Games held in Palembang, South Sumatra and the company is now ready to cater to clients in Indonesia and abroad. This bio-based polymer focused arm of Inter Aneka’s operations represents the culmination of nearly three decades of experience as well as demonstrates the company’s dedication to advancing Indonesia’s plastic manufacturing industry.

The magnitude of benefits offered by ENVIPLAST^®’s bio-based polymer compound products are plain to see in the many shortcomings of conventional plastic bags. Unlike ENVIPLAST^® bags that break down via naturally occurring processes, plastic bags can take hundreds of years to decompose in a landfill. This decomposition process makes no meaningful contribution to the renewed cultivation of natural resources and instead can endanger the well-being of local wildlife that often mistake plastic for food. This problem is exacerbated for marine creatures, in that plastic bags not properly disposed often end up in the ocean. Of the 6.4 million tonnes of garbage entering the sea on an annual basis, 15% is plastic waste (National Academy of Sciences) and it is suspected that these stray bags result in upwards of one million deaths amongst sea animals every year.

In addition to being broken down by macro and micro-organisms, ENVIPLAST^® pellets, film and bags dissolve when submerged in hot water and weaken when in water at room temperature. The company’s bio-based polymer compound products are also edible by animals, as was proven by independent researchers at WIL Research Europe and supported by follow up tests performed in house. Moreover, this non ecotoxic product can be recycled with paper products and will not form harmful microplastics when broken down.

Through these qualities, ENVIPLAST^® establishes itself as a leading source of eco-friendly products at a time when markets around the world are beginning to react to clear evidence of significant environmental damage brought about by single use PE plastic bags. For an overview of ENVIPLAST^®’s key eco-friendly features, see ENVIPLAST® Main Features.

Indonesia’s fast growing middle class has given rise to a mounting waste management challenge as household and businesses across the archipelago continue to produce a higher volume of organic waste and plastic by-products. The recent introduction of government regulations to charge for the use of plastic bags in supermarkets and retailers has therefore been welcomed by Indonesians as a necessary means of tackling plastic bag waste in the country and mitigating the harmful impact of microplastics on the environment.

Though new regulations designed to curb the use of conventional single use plastic bags have generally been well-received by the local market, further action is needed. Convenience will likely continue to outweigh the small costs levied upon plastic bags in the minds of local shoppers, and greater cooperation will therefore be needed between the government and key industry players to spur progress in addressing Indonesia’s waste management woes. As a pioneer in the manufacture of eco-friendly alternatives to plastic bags, ENVIPLAST^® has taken an active role in encouraging environmentally responsible government policy. The company has already enjoyed considerable success in developing innovative starch-derived bags that effectively cater to the needs of prominent retailers and hotels in the form of shopping bags, garbage bags and even electronic wrapping material.

ENVIPLAST^® continues to actively engage and educate the public in keeping with its mission to promote the global use of eco-friendly products. With Indonesia ranked the world’s second largest plastic waste producer (187.2 million tonnes, Jakarta Globe) ENVIPLAST^® stands at the forefront of a growing movement to take advantage of the potential of green business in Indonesia.