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City allocates budget for environmentally friendly shopping bags
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A supermarket customer pushes a trolley filled with goods in plastic bags. (Harian Kompas/Yuniadhi Agung)
J
akarta City Council has approved a budget proposal from the Jakarta Environment Agency to procure environmentally friendly shopping bags to replace nondegradable ones as well as to promote a campaign on the issue.
Agency head Isnawa Adji said that a dedicated team would be formed to promote the campaign as well as to ensure that plastic bags would not be used anymore in traditional markets.
“The use of environmentally unfriendly bags such as the ones made of plastic is pervasive in traditional markets. The plastic is [dangerous] because it contains carcinogenic substances. We plan to provide degradable bags,” he told councillors during a meeting at the council office on Monday.
To support the program, the agency has proposed Rp 204 million (US$13,705) in the city’s revised 2018 budget through the general regional budget amendment policy (KUPA) and temporary regional budget priority and ceiling amendment (PPAS).
The budget will also cover campaign activities at traditional markets to encourage people to exchange plastic bags for environmentally friendly ones.
While there was a recommendation from councillors to increase the budget, members of the meeting agreed on the initial proposal, kompas.com reported. (fac)
