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Slaughterhouses turn Surabaya River red with blood, intestines
Slaughterhouses have recently been under the spotlight as they have reportedly been polluting the Surabaya River, which crosses over the three regions of Surabaya, Mojokerto and Sidoarjo
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laughterhouses have recently been under the spotlight as they have reportedly been polluting the Surabaya River, which crosses over the three regions of Surabaya, Mojokerto and Sidoarjo.
A joint patrol team recently caught a slaughterhouse in Krian district, Sidoarjo, in the act of disposing waste from slaughtering activities, including blood and intestines, into the river.
Imam Rohani, coordinator of the team that comprised of officers from the East Java provincial Environment Agency (BLH), Perum Jasa Tirta regional tapped water company, local police and activists from other NGOs, said the disposal had stained the river red.
"Our team is now studyng the water samples from the polluted river."
Imam said complaints had been expressed by local residents as it had also created bad odors in the neighborhood.
Previously, in January, the team found that another slaughterhouse in Kedurus district, Surabaya, was committing the same practice.
The case was tried at the Surabaya District Court.
Head of provincial BLH, Dewi Putriatni, said that the trial was conducted because the corresponding slaughterhouse ignored the warning warrant that her office issued.
The slaughterhouse was charged with violations against Law No. 23/1997 on the management of the environment, she said.
She also called on local regency administrations to pay intensive attention to the problem, especially regarding the use of waste management installation by related factories or institutions.
Executive director of the Ecological Observation and Wetlands Observation (Ecoton), Prigi Arisandi claimed slaughterhouses only made a relatively small contribution to organic waste pollution.
"Some 85 percent of the organic waste pollution in Surabaya River is still dominated by pulp factories operating along the river," Prigi said.
He also said legal approaches were no longer sufficient in dealing with the problem.
"It's time for the provincial administration to invite all the stakeholders to sit and discuss the solution to the problem."
Prigi added there were two choices of solutions to the problem: relocating the factories; and relocating the tapped water company that had so far used the Surabaya River water as its main raw material.
