Volunteer at the Recycling Village in Sumatra

A village dedicated to recycling and biodiversity

Located in Bukit Lawang, Sumatra, Indonesia, the Recycling Village is one of the world's largest villages designed using sustainable, recycled materials. In fact, the builders used over 250 tonnes of plastic waste and natural materials such as bamboo.
The project is the brainchild of a German NGO founded in 2019 by four people who were looking for a way to reduce plastic pollution in Indonesia. Around the Recycling Village, the team carries out various actions in a holistic approach for a good balance between local populations and the preservation of biodiversity.

Here are the main components of the project

• The Recycling Village. This village, built from recycled and sustainable materials, is located on the edge of the rainforest, on an area of around 3 hectares. It includes offices, a co-working space for local residents, an education center for children, a marketplace dedicated to the sale of recycled materials...
• Eco-bricks. The NGO has developed eco-bricks, made from plastic waste. An eco-brick is a plastic packaging bottle filled with plastic waste that is difficult to recycle. The waste is first dried and cleaned before being compacted into plastic bottles. This prevents the growth of micro-organisms in the bottle. Eco-bricks were invented in Guatemala in 2003. At the time, Susanne Heisse was collecting plastic waste and encasing it in bottles. She used these first Ecobricks to build a wall. Her gesture inspired people all over the world, from South America to South-East Asia and South Africa.

The waste bank at the heart of the project

• The Trash Bank. The Trash Bank is the hub of the project. Waste is deposited there by various collectors and the general public. Sometimes, it can be exchanged for money. When the waste arrives at the Trash Bank, the different materials are separated, cleaned and dried. They are then ready for recycling. Some companies buy the waste compacted into blocks for use in new manufacturing processes.
• The eco-farm: the NGO has at its disposal several hectares devoted to organic farming. Today, in North Sumatra, palm oil monoculture continues to expand. This type of farming depletes the soil and biodiversity, and causes chemical pollution of watercourses. The project has reintroduced organic polyculture by replanting fruit and vegetable trees. Once a week, the entire team and volunteers work together for an hour on the organic farm. 
• Medicinal plants : an entire garden is devoted to medicinal plants, so that we can pass on this precious knowledge to others.
• The educational aspect of the project is of course very important. Within the Recycling Village, classrooms welcome children from local communities for environmental awareness courses and English lessons.