In an attempt to address the problem, a pilot project launched in West Jakarta on Friday to educate residents on how to properly dispose of used diapers.

The pilot project was carried out by consumer goods producer PT Kao Indonesia, which also produces diapers, in cooperation with the West Jakarta administration and recycling company PT Guna Olah Limbah.

“We are cooperating with more than 1,000 officers from 28 integrated health posts [Posyandu] in West Jakarta to carry out the program. They will help educate residents in their areas and collect used diapers from local residents. The pilot project will run for 35 days until Dec 22,” Susilowati, Kao Indonesia's VP of marketing, told the press after the launch.

In the program, every week, the used diapers will be collected by the Posyandu officers before being picked up by the firm and sent to PT Guna Olah Limbah in Bandung, West Java, to be recycled.

“The used diapers will be weighed and in exchange, Kao will give the Posyandu Rp 2,500 [18 US cents] per kilogram of used diapers. At the end of the project, the Posyandu that has collected the most used diapers will receive a prize,” Susilowati said.

At Guna Olah Limbah, the used diapers will be shredded into tiny pieces using hydrothermal machines. The plastic part of the diapers can be turned into oil to fuel the hydrothermal machines, while the rest can be turned into fiber that could be used to make hebel bricks and plant pots, Susilowati explained further, claiming that all parts of the used diapers were recyclable.

She expressed hope that the pilot project could encourage residents to sort their waste and dispose of it accordingly.

“We want to educate our customers about the environmental impact of used diapers that are not disposed of properly. Through the project, we also want to encourage them to develop a habit of sorting waste. After the program, we will also launch a nationwide campaign on how to properly dispose of used diapers so they won’t harm the environment,” Susilowati said.

Hartiningsih, a Posyandu officer from Srengseng, West Jakarta, who participated in the program, said managing used diaper waste had been quite challenging in her neighborhood.

“Household waste is not managed well in our neighborhood. Used disposable diapers only add to the problem, because many residents don’t clean the excrement before disposing of the diapers in an open dumping site, resulting in bad smell and health risks for locals,” she said on the same occasion.

Hartiningsih expressed hope that the pilot project, even if it was just carried out for around a month, would bring a change to how locals in her neighborhood disposed of used diapers. “I hope that after this program, they will dispose of used diapers properly.”

According to West Jakarta Family Welfare Movement activation team head Inad Lucinawaty, the mayoralty produces around 10 tons of waste daily, however she did not say what percentage of the daily waste were disposable diapers, according to Antara news agency.

Another Posyandu officer participating in the program, Rani Fauziah, expressed similar thoughts. “I have seen locals throw used diapers in the river, which I think is very dangerous as it could clog the river and cause floods during the rainy season. It also carries health risks for locals who are still using water from the river to wash their clothes or take a bath.”

Rani said the program would have a lot of benefits for locals. “I think the program is very good. Besides helping the environment, our Posyandu will also receive money by participating in the program. We could then use the money to create other programs that will benefit locals,” Rani said.

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