Win-win for Sragen: Turning trash into cash

Suherdjoko ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Sragen   |  Fri, 05/02/2008 1:33 PM  |  Java Brew

TURNING TRASH INTO CASH

Garbage has always been a serious problem at traditional markets across Indonesia, but Sragen regency administration in Central Java decided to make a solution.

The administration, in a move which is likely to be the first of its kind, is introducing a waste recycling program for its traditional markets, to make compost for organic fertilizer.

The compost waste water, called lindi (an alkaline liquid), is processed into biogas which can be used as stove fuel. This process hopes to provide free stove fuel for most of the vendors at the market.

"Eventually garbage will not be a problem for Sragen. Instead, it will be a blessing," Sragen Regent Untung Wiyono said.

Untung said he has long thought about recycling waste. Organic garbage is already separated from non-organic waste in a number of traditional markets in Sragen.

"I have asked market vendors to collect plastic garbage and the like. This garbage is then sold to a particular buyer. This has been going on for some time. At present, we are developing a process to turning organic waste into compost fertilizer, biogas and liquid fertilizer," he said.

Untung made the statement before some 250 invitees from various government agencies and regions, in a workshop on waste recycling in Sragen in mid April.

The idea to recycle market garbage gained a positive response when Danamon Care Foundation first offered to help the project in October last year.

A compost house was built and machines to chop-up organic garbage were bought. Training was provided for workers on how to take care of these machines and assistance was provided in compost-making. Danamon Care Foundation also provided working capital for the program.

"We have injected around Rp 70 million for one market ... We would like to see the traditional markets clean, healthy and comfortable," Danamon Care Foundation executive director Risa Bhinekawati told The Jakarta Post.

The administration and the foundation have also fostered cooperative links with the Indonesian Biotechnology Research Institute for Estate Crops.

Pasar Bunder, the largest traditional market in Sragen, has been chosen as the pilot site for this program.

If this market produces 5 tons of organic garbage every day, the processing of this garbage would produce up to 2 tons of high-quality compost (organic fertilizer) and 1,200 liters of lindi. At present this market produces only 3 tons organic waste, from which 1.2 tons of compost can be produced.

"After a simple and easy fermentation process, 5 tons of organic garbage can produce 2 tons of compost and fresh lindi," said Darmono Taniwiryono, director of the Indonesian Biotechnology Research Institute for Estate Crops.

The waste product can then be transferred to a digester which turns it into biogas. The lindi will later produce between 0.9 and 1.8 cubic meters of biogas every day -- enough to supply up to 20 food stalls around the market.

"This organic garbage process also brings economic benefits. If the compost is sold for Rp 750 a kilogram, a total of 2,000 kgs (two tons) of compost will yield Rp 1.5 million. Similarly if liquid fertilizer is sold at Rp 20,000 a liter, you can easily work out how much you would make by selling 1,200 liters," Darmono said.

Risa said traditional markets were the focus of the foundation's social investment programs. At present there are more than 700 Danamon branch offices in traditional markets. They serve some 1,500 traditional markets across Indonesia.

Data compiled by the All-Indonesia Association of Market Vendors shows there are some 13,450 traditional markets with around 12.6 million vendors in Indonesia.

Some 50 million people's livelihoods depend on these traditional markets.

However, the number of traditional markets continues to decline at a rate of around 8.1 per cent a year. A survey conducted by AC Nielsen, meanwhile, shows modern markets have increased in number by 31.4 percent a year.

"If we do not maintain traditional markets, some 12.6 million market vendors, who are generally the 'small' people, will lose their livelihoods.

"This is why we are trying to improve the hygiene, cleanliness and comfort of traditional markets.

"We believe many more shoppers would come to cleaner markets and this could make markets prosper," Risa said.

The foundation has allocated a budget of some Rp 4.5 billion for 2008 to help maintain traditional markets.

Risa said the foundation had not set target output levels but would monitor and evaluate the compost-making project to make sure it was sustainable.

"If there is a regent or a municipality head who is seriously interested in this program, we can help them with a similar program to make quality fertilizer.

"This program will allow farmers and market vendors to reap direct benefits.

"The local administration does not need to allocate a special budget for garbage dumping. Garbage, instead, will yield an income," Risa said.

Sragen Regent Untung Wiyono said the processing of market garbage could provide jobs for at least three or four people.

For Sragen itself, he said, organic fertilizer was very useful for the regency's organic rice production program.

"We have been organic since 2001. First, we planted organic rice in a rice field measuring two hectares. Today, these rice fields measure around 500 hectares. Organic farming will guarantee that this land will stay fertile. Organic rice also tastes better," Untung said.

For 30 years, he said, Indonesian farmers have used non-organic fertilizers which have reduced the soil fertility. On average, farmers use around 1.2 tons of urea (non-organic chemical fertilizer) for each hectare of paddy.

In Sragen, the use of this chemical fertilizer has been reduced to around 400 kg per hectare.

"In fact this is still semi-organic farming. We are aiming to become fully organic," Untung said.

Organic farming has already been fruitful in Sragen. Research conducted by the Agricultural and Food Resilience Service of Sragen showed the loose agricultural soil layer was only around 10 cm deep in 2001.

After organic farming was introduced, using compost fertilizer and animal dung, the loose and fertile soil had grown to a depth of 30 cm in 2005. Sragen has even seen a rice surplus of 240,000 per year (three times more than its annual requirement).

Untung said biogas had also been established in cow-breeding farms in Demplot Dayu.

A new experiment using the dung from eight cows had produced 1,520 kgs of dung a month. When this dung is processed in a biodigester, it can produce up to 500 watts of electricity and is able to keep six stoves running continuously.

Research shows one cubic meter of biogas is enough run a stove for cooking three times a day. This amount of gas can also be used to power a light bulb (between 60 and 100 watts) for six hours, or run a (one cubic meter capacity) refrigerator for 30 minutes. It can produce 1.25 kilowatt hours of electricity; enough or run a 1-horse-power machine for two hours.

"We are also looking to develop biogas from human feces ... at a penitentiary in Sragen, which is large enough for about 425 prisoners, or we could process biogas at hospitals," Untung said.

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