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Pasar Jaya gears up for plastic bag ban at Jakarta markets
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Activities go on at Gondangdia Market in Jakarta despite COVID-19 on March 31. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
C
ity-owned market operator Pasar Jaya is getting ready to enforce a ban on single-use plastic bags at all Jakarta markets, reminding its tenants and shoppers to use eco-friendly alternatives.
Under Jakarta Gubernatorial Regulation No. 142/2019, single-use plastic bags are no longer allowed at shopping malls, grocery stores and traditional markets starting on July 1.
Pasar Jaya director Arief Nasution said Tuesday that managers and market heads in all areas would supervise the implementation of the ban, adding that the company -- which operates 153 markets across the capital -- had educated tenants and visitors about the policy.
The company had, among other measures, held discussions with tenants and given away free reusable shopping bags.
"We hope that shoppers and sellers at the markets are ready for the plastic ban beginning in July," Arief said in a statement on Tuesday.
He went on to say that the policy was mainly directed at traditional markets, because they accounted for the largest amount of waste in the capital city.
"Every day, traditional markets in the capital produce 600 tons of waste, and this regulation can significantly reduce that," he said.
In October, the Jakarta administration's deputy to the governor for civil registry and settlements, Suharti, said the capital produced 7,700 tons of waste per day, or around 750 grams per person.
Suharti said the waste output from the capital had increase from year to year, climbing by 36 percent in the last five years, while the population during the same period had only increased by 4 percent.
Other retailers have also braced for the plastic bag ban, with PT Sumber Alfaria Trijaya, operator of the Alfamart Group convenience stores, expressing support for the policy.
One of the country's top retailers, Alfamart currently operates around 290 branches in Jakarta.
"Alfamart supports the policy because there are good intentions behind it. Our consumers are also well accustomed to bringing their own bags when shopping at our stores," Alfamart corporate communication general manager Nur Rachman told kontan.co.id on June 23.
Under the regulation, retailers that still use plastic bags will be given a warning letter three times before being fined Rp 5 million (US$348) to Rp 35 million. The authorities may revoke the business license of stores that do not pay the fine.
According to Statistics Indonesia data, Jakarta had 158 traditional markets, 80 shopping centers and 52 modern stores in 2018.
