Empowering Schools to Tackle Waste Issues, Cilegon Environmental Agency Collaborates with Chandra Asri Group and Bakti Barito Foundation
Cilegon — The Circular Economy Collaboration for School Waste Management (KOLASE), an initiative of the Cilegon City Environmental Agency (DLH) supported by PT Chandra Asri Pacific Tbk (Chandra Asri Group) and Bakti Barito Foundation, has officially expanded its reach to 120 schools across Cilegon. This expansion aims to drive waste sorting directly at the source and reinforce the vital role of schools in addressing multiple waste challenges. Building on the program’s progress in 2025, when KOLASE managed 35 tons of waste from 20 schools, the initiative continues to promote responsible waste management habits and character-building among students and the wider school community from an early age.
Since its implementation in 2023, KOLASE has continued to evolve to expand school engagement in waste management. By 2025, the program had been implemented in 20 schools, and managed 35 tons of waste in collaboration with waste bank partners. This achievement serves as a foundation for expanding KOLASE to even more schools across Cilegon City, highlighting the potential of educational institutions in source-based waste management.
The expansion of this program also strengthens the role of schools as part of the city-level waste management ecosystem. Through KOLASE, students, teachers, and the broader school community engage in waste sorting right at the source, while waste banks handle the collection and processing of sorted materials to integrate them back into the resource value chain.
At the inauguration of the KOLASE program, Cilegon Mayor Robinsar expressed, “The issue of waste is a development challenge that requires collective action. Cilegon City recognizes the urgency of changing our perspective on waste by managing it from the source through sorting, reuse, and optimizing its economic potential. The city is actively encouraging waste management initiatives while instilling new habits and a culture regarding waste disposal. Schools serve as the right platform to initiate this transformation as they are spaces for early character building and habit formation.”
Edi Rivai, Director of Legal, External Relations, and Circular Economy at Chandra Asri Group, stated, “As an industrial entity in Cilegon City, Chandra Asri Group recognizes the critical need for collaborative efforts that promote source-based waste management practices. Through KOLASE, we assist schools in implementing waste sorting while reinforcing linkages with waste banks, thereby ensuring that separated waste is managed effectively and retains the potential to recover economic value.”
“By involving 120 schools, KOLASE has the potential to expand waste sorting practices to a larger school community, deliver economic benefits through the involvement of 11 waste bank partners, and reduce the volume of waste ending up in landfills. We hope this collaboration continues to grow and becomes part of a collective effort to strengthen the circular economy ecosystem in Cilegon City. As a Growth Partner, Chandra Asri Group will continue to drive collaboration and deliver meaningful benefits for both the community and the environment,” Edi added.
Aligned with these initiatives, Chandra Asri Group and Bakti Barito Foundation contribute support toward the execution of the DLH-initiated KOLASE program in Cilegon City. This support includes providing facilities to aid waste management in schools, which is expected to reinforce proper waste management practices while unlocking economic value for both schools and students. Moving forward, the sustainability of KOLASE is hoped to receive continued support through multi-stakeholder collaboration, enabling more schools and key partners to participate in strengthening Cilegon City’s waste management ecosystem.
Director of Bakti Barito Foundation, Dian A. Purbasari, stated, “Schools are where the habits and character of the younger generation are built. Through KOLASE, schools serve not only as a place to learn about the importance of waste sorting, but also as a space to practice waste management firsthand and see its benefits. We hope that consistent learning will form habits that students carry home to their families and communities. In line with Bakti Barito’s commitment to supporting education and the environment, we support KOLASE through our Green Guardians program as a concrete step to connect classroom learning with circular economy practices and introduce the potential economic value of waste management,” Dian said.
KOLASE is envisioned to function as a collaborative framework bolstering the school-driven waste management ecosystem across Cilegon City. Sabri, Head of the Cilegon City Environmental Agency, expressed, “The 120 schools engaged in the KOLASE initiative have shown dedication to participating in sustainable waste management. The Cilegon City Environmental Agency initially engaged with institutions interested in adopting source-based waste management practices. Looking ahead, KOLASE will continue to welcome additional schools demonstrating commitment and interest, thereby expanding institutional involvement in Cilegon City’s unified waste management efforts.”
The expansion of KOLASE is a collective step to strengthen the role of schools in waste management while expanding waste sorting practices right at the source. Through collaboration among the government, private sector, schools, waste banks, and various other stakeholders, this program is expected to continue growing as part of efforts to reduce waste generation, expand circular economy practices, and build a more sustainable waste management ecosystem in Cilegon City.
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About Chandra Asri Group
Chandra Asri Group is a prominent Southeast Asian industrial company operating through three strategic pillars: Energy & Chemicals, Integrated Infrastructure, and Mobility Solutions. Established in Indonesia in 1992, Chandra Asri Group has demonstrated a proven record as a reliable Growth Partner to its client base and stakeholders, managing strategic assets across Indonesia and Singapore while expanding its footprint into Malaysia. The Group’s portfolio encompasses integrated Energy & Chemicals operations, comprising a Cilegon naphtha cracker with an ethylene capacity of 0.9 million metric tons per annum (MTPA), a refinery capacity exceeding 300,000 barrels per day coupled with a 1.1 MTPA naphtha cracker on Bukom Island, and approximately 2.5 MTPA of downstream chemical assets on Jurong Island. Furthermore, Chandra Asri Group is advancing its chemical footprint through the development of a world-scale chlor-alkali and ethylene dichloride project in Cilegon. The Integrated Infrastructure division operates across Power, Water, Jetty & Storage, and Logistics, delivering critical services for industrial operations and regional logistics connectivity. Under Mobility Solutions, the Group expands its consumer reach via ~60 Esso retail service stations. For further information, please visit www.chandra-asri.com.
For further information, please contact:
Chandra Asri Group
Chrysanthi Tarigan
Head of Corporate Communications
Telp: 021-530 7950
Email: corporate.comm@capcx.com
About Bakti Barito Foundation
Established in 2011, Bakti Barito Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Barito Pacific Group, an integrated energy company with diversified entities such as Chandra Asri Group, Barito Renewables (incl. Star Energy Geothermal), Griya Idola, Petrindo Jaya Kreasi (incl. Petrosea), Indo Raya Tenaga, and more.
Guided by the enduring commitment of our founders, Prajogo Pangestu and his wife Harlina Tjandinegara, the foundation is dedicated to addressing Indonesia’s environmental and educational challenges through collaborative initiatives with our partners and the communities we serve. For more information, please visit baktibarito.com, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and X.
Media contact: info@baktibarito.com