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Imported plastic saves tofu makers in East Java – but poisons their own villages
At least 50 tofu factories in Tropodo village in Sidoarjo, East Java, have used a mix of imported paper and plastic waste to fuel their stoves amid the soaring price of firewood. While the strategy helps tofu makers to maintain their profit, it comes with a huge price for the people and environment around them.
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Workers of a tofu factory in Tropodo village in Sidoarjo, East Java work to process soybeans into tofu. Tofu factories in the village use imported plastic waste as fuel for their burners. (Nexus3/-)
T
ofu is one of the few cheap sources of protein in most parts of Indonesia. To maintain its price, most tofu factories use cheap imported soybeans, and now some of them are using imported plastic waste as fuel.
At least 50 tofu factories in Tropodo village in Sidoarjo, East Java, have used a mix of imported paper and plastic waste to fuel their stoves amid the soaring price of firewood.
While the strategy helps tofu makers to maintain their profit, it comes with a huge price for the people and environment around them.
A recent report entitled “Plastic Waste Poisons Indonesia’s Food Chain” shows that plastic waste, much of which was imported from the West, has contaminated eggs produced by free-range chickens in Tropodo village, as well as Bangun village in Mojokerto regency.
Imported plastics and other hazardous waste have inundated the two East Java villages since last year when China closed its doors to the importation of 24 types of waste material. Every day, the areas receive more than 50 tons of low-grade plastic.
Just like tofu makers in Tropodo, Bangun villagers also burn the plastic – not to fuel their stoves – but simply to get rid of piling waste around their houses.
The report found that the thick smoke coming from burnt plastic released toxic chemicals that contaminated food materials and posed a serious health risk to humans.
