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Health concerns spark strong opposition to reopening of Rorotan RDF plant
A local group representing thousands of residents has put up stiff opposition against the plan to reopen the refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plant in Rorotan, North Jakarta, in the next few months given its apparent impact on residents’ health.
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A security guard stands guard in front of the refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plant in Rorotan, North Jakarta, on March 25. The Jakarta Environmental Agency suspended the plant's operations to allow for the installation of more facilities, such as deodorizers and air quality monitoring stations, to prevent the site from emitting thick and pungent smoke in the future. (Antara/Asprilla Dwi Adha)
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local group representing thousands of residents has put up a stiff opposition against the plan to reopen the refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plant in Rorota, North Jakarta, in the next few months given its apparent impact on residents’ health.
The group, dubbed as the Local Forum for Health Awareness, was initiated after people living as far as five kilometers away from the plant complained about foul-smelling smoke that rose from the Rorotan RDF plant during a test run in February, reportedly causing dozens of children to suffer from upper respiratory infections and eye infections.
“Our stance is clear, we oppose the RDF plant because even after those trials, there is no guarantee from the government that similar incidents won’t happen again,” Wahyu Andre Maryono, the group’s coordinator, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
Wahyu claims that the group is currently representing around 75,000 residents living near the plant, including people from Kota Harapan Indah housing complex and Pusaka Rakyat village in Bekasi, West Java, as well as the Jakarta Garden City (JGC) residential complex in East Jakarta.
The 7.8-hectare Rorotan RDF plant is just a short walk from the 370-ha JGC built by property developer PT Modernland Realty. The complex includes the AEON Mall shopping center operated by a subsidiary of Japan’s largest retailer Aeon Co.
Wahyu, who lives in the complex, said that prior to the RDF’s development, there was no discussion about the required environmental assessments (Amdal) document.
Read also: Thick, smelly smoke from Jakarta’s new waste-to-energy plant raises concerns
