Thousands of events of differing size are held in Jakarta each year, leaving behind a particular kind of waste that most organizers do not think about - used banners.

A social entrepreneur and environmental group, Si Dalang, which stands for kreasi daur ulang (recycling creation), has targeted used banners as new material for its recycling work.

Si Dalang founder and environmental lawyer Gita Syahrani, 30, pointed out that used banners could become a serious waste problem if not handled properly.

'€œThere'€™s no scientific research on banners yet, but I believe that the figure [of used banners] is significant. Almost every event or institution uses banners and they take them for granted because they are cheaper to make nowadays,'€ Gita told The Jakarta Post during a recycling workshop in South Jakarta recently.

According to recent research conducted by environmental group Waste4Change and the city'€™s Sanitation Agency, Jakarta produces up to 6,270 tons of waste daily, 79 percent of which is sent to the Bantar Gebang landfill in Bekasi, while the remaining 21 percent is recycled or left unprocessed.

The waste comprises 54 percent of organic waste, 15 percent paper waste, 14 percent plastic waste and 17 percent glass and metal.

Si Dalang usually targets banners made of waterproof material, recycling them into tote bags, pouches and gadget cases.

'€œWe focus on creating seminar kits because the market is promising,'€ Gita said, adding that they aimed to launch a recycled furniture line within the next two years.

Si Dalang activist Karlina added that aside from financial profits, recycling banners also contributed to efforts to reduce waste.

'€œBy recycling banners, we can significantly reduce waste,'€ she said, adding that the group had contacted the Public Order Agency to get access to used banners.

The agency is tasked with removing used or illegal banners or billboards in the capital.

Gita said that by using used banners as their main material, Si Dalang offered unique products.

'€œWe rely on our product sales to finance our campaign and activities because we don'€™t want to rely on donors. We need a marketing strategy so our products can be competitive. Recycling plastic or clothes, for example, is already very popular but I think recycling banners is quite new,'€ she said.

Si Dalang also assists and trains groups of housewives and teenage girls in Kampung Dadap, Cengkareng, West Jakarta; and Rawa Semut, Bekasi; to recycle waste, with 30 percent of the sales allocated to cover production costs and the remaining 70 percent for the housewives.

The group targets private companies or government institutions to sell the products.

'€œWhen we approach the companies, we sell not only the products but also the added value, such as showing companies they have an opportunity to build their image by contributing to reducing waste and empowering society,'€ Gita explained.

Si Dalang also offers recycling workshop programs to private companies, with profit generated from the projects used to subsidize non-profit activities. The workshops also target employees and students in satellite cities.

Depok-based freelancer Lusye Marthalia, 39, a workshop participant, said she was encouraged to join the workshop after she participated in a waste management initiative called Bank Sampah in her neighborhood.

Bank Sampah generally encourages residents to deposit their non-organic waste with a community group that trades it for cash.

'€œThe initiative was introduced three months ago and most of my neighbors have complied. I am excited [with these recycling efforts],'€ she said.

Popular

Stocks in Asia rise, yen wobbles after volatile start to week

In Numbers: How women fare in Indonesia

Indonesia may offer dual citizenship to attract overseas workers, minister says