Containers of change: Alner's mission to tackle plastic waste in Indonesia

This article was originally published by the KINETIK team on 26 June 2025. It has been reproduced here with permission.

Indonesia is facing a plastic waste challenge. Single-use sachets for everyday products—such as shampoo, detergent and chili sauce—are cheap and convenient but difficult to recycle. When they leak into the environment, single-use sachets pollute rivers, wash up on beaches and clog drains, causing flooding.

This start-up is helping Indonesians break the habit of buying single-use sachets.

Jakarta-based social enterprise Alner is trying to reduce waste from single-use plastic sachets by rewarding Indonesians with cashback for reusing containers. “We provide daily essentials—like soap and rice—in reusable containers,” says Bintang Ekananda, the co-founder of Alner.Customers can buy Alner’s products – which are sold in reusable containers made from recycled plastic – through local warungs (neighbourhood shops) and waste banks. When the container is empty, they can return it and get a cashback – ranging from IDR 5,000 for soap bottles to IDR 25,000 for a five-kilogram rice container. This means eco-conscious packaging is no longer a luxury but an option available to everyone, including lower-income Indonesians.Alner collects, cleans and refills the containers, creating a circular economy. About 90 per cent of the micro enterprises which sell Alner products are led by women, many of whom run small neighbourhood shops. They not only earn income but can become sustainability champions in their own communities.Alner is one of six impressive Small and Medium-sized Enterprises working in Indonesia’s green economy to today be named a KINETIK Sweef Fellow. The Fellows will receive tailored business coaching and mentorship to accelerate their growth over the next three years as part of the KINETIK Sweef Entrepreneurs Program.

*Bintang Ekananda, Co-founder and CEO Alner*. Photo: JEFRI TARIGAN

The program, a collaboration between KINETIK, the Australia Indonesia Climate, Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Partnership and Sweef Capital, supports businesses in the green economy that are led by women or improve the lives of women.

The announcement of the KINETIK Sweef Fellows comes at a fitting time. June 27 marks Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (MSME) Day, a global celebration of the vital role small businesses play in job creation, economic growth and sustainable development.

Making up more than two-thirds of businesses world-wide, these enterprises are the driving force behind economies—especially in developing countries. Their creativity sparks innovative solutions with far-reaching benefits. However, they continue to encounter hurdles, such as restricted access to finance, markets and technology.

*Salmala sells Alner products at her warung in Kemang*. Photo: JEFRI TARIGAN

Alner is a case study in how Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises can be catalysts for innovation in tackling environmental challenges. Since 2020, Alner has reused more than 100,000 containers. This is the equivalent of 1.2 million single-use sachets.

“We’ve learned to improve our marketing and grow smarter, reaching new customers and diversifying revenue,” Mr Ekananda says.

“Our next step is getting more brands to join the refill system and expanding to more cities across Indonesia.”

As the world celebrates Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Day, Alner offers a powerful reminder: solving big problems starts small.

Containers of change: Alner's mission to tackle plastic waste in Indonesia

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