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Bali must set up customary waste management
It is high time for Bali to develop a traditional community-based waste management program to reduce the lingering garbage problem on the island
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It is high time for Bali to develop a traditional community-based waste management program to reduce the lingering garbage problem on the island.
Made Suarnata, chairperson of Wisnu Foundation, told journalists on Sunday that Bali already possessed a strong customary village system that properly managed village problems, including social activities and surrounding territory.
"By managing waste in every customary village, it will be easier for us to really measure the actual volume of garbage produced in every household in the neighborhood."
Suarnata further said that Balinese families must belong to a banjar -- customary village -- as part of their role as members of Balinese society.
"As a consequence, they [the Balinese people] abide by regulations or customs set by their banjar."
Related to waste management, people would follow any regulations set by the customary village's leaders, he said.
Giving an example, he said villagers could be informed on how to properly manage their organic and inorganic waste.
"Because it is a small community, it would be easy to teach them how to select types of waste and how to process it to become economically valuable," he said.
By adopting a community-based waste management system, Bali would shift from top-down management to a bottom-up initiative.
"It would not be surprising to find people ignored government efforts to involve them in waste management as the efforts and regulations were not legally binding. On the other hand, people will follow regulations set by customary village leaders as they have a high level of social and customary obligations."
