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View all search results'Samtama Village' shows Jakarta potential of waste sorting
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Going green: A resident deposits recyclable plastic and paper waste into a waste-bank collection box in the Samtama Village in East Cempaka Putih subdistrict, Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta, on May 12, 2026. Recyclable materials collected through the neighborhood’s waste banks are sold monthly, with the proceeds used to fund community activities and social assistance programs. (JP/Vidya Pinandhita)
L
ong before the Jakarta administration’s household waste-sorting policy took effect on May 10, residents of East Cempaka Putih’s “Samtama Village” in Central Jakarta had already been separating household waste for years, significantly reducing the amount sent to landfills.
When The Jakarta Post visited the neighborhood earlier this week, waste-bank boxes filled with sorted plastics and cardboard lined the entrances of narrow alleyways. Amid the lush surroundings, ornamental and medicinal plants decorated the paths, while separate bins for organic waste and dry recyclables stood at various corners.
The name Samtama is short for Sampah Tanggung Jawab Bersama (Waste Management is a Shared Responsibility), according to local community figure Mohamad Yakub, 60, reflecting the neighborhood collective approach to reducing waste generation.
Yakub said the community first introduced a “Green Village” concept in 2007 by planting trees along the alleys before evolving into the Samtama waste-management initiative. In 2019, then governor Anies Baswedan designated 22 neighborhood units across the capital as pioneers of the movement.
“At first, it was difficult to convince residents to sort their waste because not everyone considered it an urgent issue,” Yakub told the Post on Tuesday. “But over time, people were inspired by their neighbors. Now it has become a habit driven by self-awareness, not just obligation.”
Today, 20 waste banks operate across 18 neighborhood units in the East Cempaka Putih subdistrict.
Read also: Jakarta mandates household sorting to tackle chronic waste crisis
