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Greater Jakarta officials scratch their heads over post-flood waste
The Jakarta administration collected more than 10,000 tons of waste on Sunday alone.
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Students walked past a pile of post-flood garbage that was being cleared in the Kedaung residential area, West Jakarta, on Monday. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
A week after severe floods hit Greater Jakarta, floodwater has begun to recede to leave a waste management problem in its wake.
The type of waste left after the flood varies from bulky pieces of furniture such as mattresses and sofas to various forms of organic waste and inorganic waste that mostly contain plastic.
On Sunday alone, the Jakarta administration collected more than 10,000 tons of waste, 47 percent of which was from a massive clean-up event taking place simultaneously in 390 community units (RW) affected by severe flooding.
“We have covered all areas,” Jakarta Environment Agency spokesperson Yogi Ikhwan told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
“However, we can still expect to see more flood-related trash in the following days as some areas are still inundated. The residents will start cleaning up once the water recedes. It will take some time for them to sort out their damaged belongings before we pick them up.”
In the event, which Governor Anies Baswedan took part in for Makasar district, East Jakarta, the agency deployed 1,400 garbage trucks, 200 heavy equipment or excavators and 50 road sweepers.
Adding to over 12,000 officers from the Public Facility Maintenance Workers (PPSU) or orange troops, thousands of volunteers from multiple agencies and organizations, including flood victims themselves, worked together to clean up the city.
