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Jakarta Post

Despite environmental awareness, trash problem lingers

Waste management problems have long plagued Indonesia

Jessicha Valentina (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Tue, November 12, 2019

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Despite environmental awareness, trash problem lingers

W

span>Waste management problems have long plagued Indonesia. A 2015 study by the Environment and Forestry Ministry showed that the country produced 175,000 tons of waste daily.

People have slowly become more aware of the issue and started to take part in managing their waste.

Local companies from various industries, such as makeup brand BLP Beauty and food and beverage company Sarirasa Group, have launched zero-waste campaigns and stopped providing plastic bags. Several companies have also started offering eco-friendly products, such as Avani Eco with its biodegradable cassava bags, paper straws and food packaging made from organic materials.

In a survey conducted by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Indonesia and Nielsen in 2017, 63 percent of Indonesian consumers were willing to consume eco-friendly products with a higher price.

Mohammad Bijaksana “Sano” Junerosano, founder of Bekasi-based local waste management organization Waste4Change told The Jakarta Post, “It’s undeniable that the current weather, climate and environmental conditions are changing at an extreme level and speed. I see that the community cannot turn a blind eye to the issue."

He also mentioned that Presidential Regulation No. 97/2017, Indonesia Bersih Sampah 2025 (Indonesia Clean from Waste 2025), pointed out the great urgency for waste management.

Sano said the regulation had pushed government offices and private companies to reevaluate their waste disposal methods in order to prevent the waste from being sent to the trash disposal site.

“Consumers have begun to ask about how their favorite brands [manage] used packaging,” added Sano.

Amid the increase in environmental awareness, Sano said the public had yet to feel real changes in the environment.

He shared that trash still ended up in rivers or oceans and there was much mixed waste.

However, Sano also said it was part of the process. “[As we learned] from other countries, all changes require a process and we are currently undergoing one of the stages,” he said.

Avani Eco cofounder Kevin Kumala shared a similar opinion, saying that some local administrations, such as Bali, Balikpapan in East Kalimantan and Bandung in West Java, had actively promoted environmentally friendly regulations, but it was more complicated for cities such as Jakarta.

“In Bali, people can see the problem right in front of their eyes as [they live] near the beach,” he said, adding that Jakarta’s geographical condition stopped its citizens from directly seeing the issue. 

That being said, Kevin and Sano suggested several steps to start some eco-friendly habits.

Kevin recommended to start with a tiny step, such as reusing plastic bags. “We can’t avoid plastic bags altogether, so it’s important to be committed and give the bag another life,” he said.

Sano, who works with many companies to solve the waste management issue, shared several steps for organizations.

He said the ideal thing to do was to reduce waste piles and ensure that waste does not pollute the environment.

Therefore, he suggested that companies consider natural resources and renewable energy. Materials are ideally reused and maximized before they end up in a landfill.

“Businesses can support environmental preservation by applying the circular economy concept. Try to redesign or consider the sustainability of the materials or products from the beginning,” said Sano.  

Lastly, he encouraged businesses to ask their consumers or clients to participate or collaborate in creating an eco-friendly system.

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