Minister, lawmakers get together on first ever waste management bill

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 10/04/2007 3:54 PM

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives has asked the government to promote the use of high-tech waste treatment plants to deal with the country's major waste issues.

Members of the House's Commission VII overseeing environmental issues on Wednesday met with the State Minister of the Environment Rachmat Witoelar to discuss the waste management bill.

Legislator Isma Yatum from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said a region producing 1,000 tons of waste per day should set up a waste treatment plant.

""Building waste treatment plants should become the responsibility of regional administrations,"" Isma said in a written speech representing the party.

Most cities in Indonesia today rely on sanitary landfill methods to handle their garbage. But the method is prone to various environmental and health problems.

The PDI-P also asked the government to include tough sanctions against violators once the House passed the waste bill into law this year -- which would see it become the first ever waste law for Indonesia.

""The bill must put up sanctions and set a special team to monitor its implementation in the field,"" Isma said.

The House set up early this year a special committee to deliberate the bill, which was proposed by the government.

Some 26 legislators out of 50 lawmakers attended the meeting, which was called to gather input on the bill from each House faction.

The United Development Party (PPP) joined PDI-P in calling for the use of waste treatment facilities.

Asfihan of the Democratic Party said the bill should include financial incentives to communities recycling their own waste.

""We need to provide financial incentives such as soft loans or tax reductions for the communities,"" he said.

Garbage, largely consisting of massive amounts of household waste, has been one of the most sensitive issues in the country's urban areas.

Jakarta and other large cities, such as Bandung, have been facing garbage problems for many years.

Minister Rachmat said about 80 percent of the waste disposed at final dumpsites came from households.

""The use of high-tech waste treatment plants is very expensive for certain areas,"" Rachmat said.

""We will put a priority on the 3R concept to reduce garbage to dump sites.""

The 3R concept includes reduce, reuse and recycle principles.

The waste management bill requires residents to limit, reduce and manage their garbage and prohibits people from dumping garbage anywhere they choose.

The bill also stipulates organic garbage should be sorted from non-organic garbage before being collected.

Another highlight of the bill is the provision of a hefty fine of Rp 1 billion or a 3-year jail term to be given to those who import waste materials, such as used electronics goods, into Indonesian territory.

Earlier in June, the special committee invited environmentalists and experts as well as Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso to discuss the waste bill.

The Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) said the bill should regulate producers of consumer goods to use recyclable packaging to help reduce household garbage.

Sutiyoso asked the committee to include law enforcement in the bill to attract external investors interested in constructing waste treatment plants.

Sutiyoso cited the Bojong incident in Bogor, West Java, where hundreds of villagers closed an incinerator plant before it began operation in 2005. The plant was designed to process garbage sent from Jakarta.

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