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Real impact is measured over time, under real conditions.
Vela’s collaboration with Sungai Watch focuses on upstream action against plastic pollution, supporting long-term field operations that intercept waste before it reaches the ocean. This progress update shares how that approach is advancing in practice, reflecting recent operational activity shaped by challenging environmental conditions.
The work forms part of Sea the Difference, Vela’s impact initiative that brings together environmental programmes, including 1% for the Planet, within a single framework focused on measurable, transparent outcomes.
The most recent quarter was marked by unusually intense environmental conditions across parts of Indonesia. Despite typically being part of the dry season, heavy rainfall and flash floods affected several river systems in Bali, increasing the volume of waste carried downstream and placing additional pressure on interception infrastructure. During this period, Sungai Watch teams operated continuously across their wider network, maintaining trash barriers, carrying out frequent patrols, and responding to flood-driven debris accumulation.
Across Q3, this sustained effort resulted in over 286,000 kilograms of waste collected, more than 300 locations cleaned, and the mobilisation of 4,444 volunteers, These figures reflect the scale and consistency of Sungai Watch’s network-wide response during a particularly demanding quarter.
Within this broader operational context, Vela supports specific upstream trash barrier projects as part of Sungai Watch’s river interception network. The impact of these projects is monitored and reported at site level, based on consistent patrol activity and verified data collection.
Looking at consolidated results from Q4 2024, a period with stable and continuous monitoring across Vela-supported barriers, these projects collectively intercepted over 2,200 kilograms of river-borne waste in a single quarter, with an average of nearly 80 kilograms collected per patrol across multiple intervention points.
These figures reflect regular maintenance, consistent field operations, and infrastructure designed to integrate into a wider system of river protection. Rather than isolated snapshots, they illustrate how targeted upstream projects contribute tangibly to long-term waste interception when measured over time.
For Vela, impact is not defined by intent alone, but by measurable outcomes over time.
Supporting Sungai Watch means enabling continuous interception of river-borne waste before it reaches the ocean, systematic sorting and data collection to understand material flows, and transparent reporting that turns on-the-ground action into accountable results.
As 2025 progresses, Sungai Watch teams are focused on expanding community and management capacity, including new team members dedicated to upstream prevention. They continue to strengthen and refine barrier technology to withstand extreme conditions, while scaling clean-up operations across Java, from East to West.
Each quarter reinforces the same insight: meaningful environmental progress depends on consistency, collaboration, and the ability to operate when conditions are least predictable.
Looking to take action beyond intent? Join Sea the Difference and work with us to support initiatives that deliver measurable environmental impact.
Contact our team to get started.
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