Jounal

After decades of traveling the planet's seas, the management of Última Frontera has seen how plastics have become a significant contributor to marine pollution. This alarming situation, which is extremely difficult to control, prompted us to seek ways to mitigate this environmental impact, and although our resources are limited, the goal was ambitious.

In our search for solutions, and while traveling through Indonesia, we contacted several local NGOs, as it seemed right to help in this region of the planet, which has provided us with so many incredible moments underwater. One of these organizations caught our attention: NTTI. The No Trash Triangle Initiative aims to protect the Coral Triangle from plastic pollution and is based on Bangka Island (North Sulawesi), a region we visit relatively frequently, which would help us to monitor their work more effectively.

After analyzing the campaigns that NTTI was carrying out, visiting their facilities and meeting with two of their managers – Anna Clerici and Marco Segre Reinach –, we decided that this would be the project on which Última Frontera would focus all its efforts to help reduce the problem of plastic pollution in the oceans, and the chosen means would be with a constant financial contribution that would allow them to advance in the projects they have been developing on different fronts.

To this end, Última Frontera has signed a collaboration agreement, committing to donate a portion of the profits from travel packages to Indonesia or anywhere in the world to NTTI to help cover the costs of this NGO's campaigns. In this way, Última Frontera, and indirectly all our clients, will help combat the scourge of plastic pollution in the ocean.

WHY THE CORAL TRIANGLE

The Coral Triangle in Southeast Asia is our most biodiverse marine environment, yet it is critically threatened. There is no other place like the Coral Triangle; it is home to nearly 80% of all coral species and more than a third of the world's reef fish species, making it the most biodiverse marine ecosystem on the planet.

Unfortunately, this region is threatened by plastic pollution, as the amount of plastic waste in the sea and on beaches increases dramatically year after year. While the government promises to clean up water systems in theory, in practice, tons of waste continue to enter and pollute ocean waters. A recent report estimates that 25% of fish caught in Indonesia are contaminated with plastic in the gut and flesh. Urgent intervention is needed to protect this region, its wildlife, and the livelihoods of its inhabitants.

HOW THE NO TRASH TRIANGLE INITIATIVE WAS BORN

In early 2017, Dr. Miriam Weber and Christian Lott, marine biologists at HYDRA Marine Sciences, collaborated with scientists from Sam Ratulangi University (UNSRAT) to study biodegradable plastic in tropical seas, using Manado and the surrounding islands as a base. They soon realized that plastic pollution was devastating these delicate tropical ecosystems. Action was needed!

They contacted Marco Segre Reinach, a marine biologist and owner of the Coral Eye resort on Bangka, a beautiful island off the coast of North Sulawesi, in the heart of the Coral Triangle. Working together, they conducted an analysis to understand the scale of the problem. They discovered that 70% of the waste washing ashore on Bangka Island was recyclable and had economic value. However, the market value of the collected plastic was too low to cover the costs of transporting it to the mainland. Therefore, the Trash-Free Triangle Initiative (NTTI) was founded to develop and manage a waste management program.

These collaborations allow the low-value plastic we collect, traditionally defined as "non-recyclable," to be sent to a processing plant, converted into Alternative Fuels and Feedstocks (AFR), and used in the cement industry as fuel. This provides a greener solution for the cement industry and prevents plastic from being burned or sent to landfills.

WHAT NTTI IS CURRENTLY DOING

Its work focuses on protecting the Coral Triangle, testing root-level solutions on Bangka Island with the ambition of creating replicable models that can be implemented throughout the region. Its work is based on science and underpinned by collaboration between multiple partners, countries, and institutions. Each of its four pillars addresses a different area, but all four are necessary to fully address the growing problem of ocean pollution.

Waste management to stop plastic pollution at its source

They employ a local team to manage our sorting facility on Bangka Island, where they collect and prepare waste for shipment to the mainland for further treatment. Keeping Bangka's coastline clean is a constant endeavor, and they collaborate with the local community, tourists, and volunteers to conduct regular beach cleanups. Local resorts have joined their regular waste collection service, providing them with a sustainable solution for waste management while contributing to a circular economy model.

In 2023, their resort program expanded to include Gangga, Siladen, and Bunaken islands, and they opened their Ocean Plastic Sorting Station in Manado, sorting resort waste and trash collected at Manado's river barriers. This river barrier activity will expand in 2024, with the installation of new barriers in some of Manado's major waterways.

Behavior change and reliable waste collection services are key to combating plastic pollution, but preventing river waste from entering Bunaken Marine National Park is also vital to protecting this delicate marine ecosystem.

Awareness raising to facilitate change through education

They maintain a line of work to raise awareness about the threat posed by plastic pollution, as well as the value of the Coral Triangle as a marine biodiversity site. Whether through conferences or presentations to visitors, other business owners, or local residents, they strive to spread the message and inspire positive action.

Research

Positive change requires collaboration, so they support researchers and scientists trying to answer the question of why there is so much plastic in the Coral Triangle, designing sustainable solutions for a plastic-free world. Through scholarships and collaborations with various universities, they support students investigating the origin, transport pathways, and fate of plastic in the marine environment. They have awarded scholarships to students from around the world, and the results of their projects will contribute to the understanding of this vast problem.

Corporate responsability

They are promoting new economic and social thinking by collaborating with resorts on Bangka Island to implement waste management programs. They hope the models they have developed can be implemented on several islands in the region.

Large companies often hold the key to driving change, so they hope that by raising awareness and facilitating CSR activities, they can contribute to a shift in the way organizations address their waste. They participate in conferences and events to spread the word and expand their reach.