Various communities in Indonesia are enthusiastic about joining the movement."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Government is to launch the Indonesia Trash Free Movement 2020 during the commemoration of the trash-free day which falls on February 21.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and some 35 communities will declare the national movement on the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout, Jakarta Sunday, Director General of trash and waste management of the Environment and Forestry Ministry Tuti Hendrawati Mintarsih said here Saturday.
"President Joko Widodo will participate to promote the movement campaign by having a teleconference with four city mayors and asking the attendants to do kerja bakti (community service)," Mintarsih said.
As many as 706 local communities all over Indonesia also stated their support to the national movement in which they can elaborate the movement in a website (http://bergerak.bebassampah.id) and social media using #bebassampah2020 tagline.
During the launch of the movement, the government will also conduct a socialization of a policy trial on a plastic bag charge conducted in 22 cities and the entire regions of Jakarta.
The government has issued a regulation on plastic bag charge which oblige modern retailers to charge customers for plastic bags starting Sunday.
The policy is aimed at reducing the use of plastic bags. "That Indonesia will no longer become the second largest plastic garbage producer after China," Mintarsih said.
The movement has gained a lot of support, founder of Greeneration Indonesia Bijaksana Junerosano said.
"Various communities in Indonesia are enthusiastic about joining the movement. Some are willing to clean the garbage in the ocean, rivers, mountains or in cities," Junerosano said.
Meanwhile, official data from the ministry said that Indonesia will generate 68 million tons of garbage in 2019, which is 14 percent or around 9.52 tons of it is plastic garbage.
A study conducted by a research team, led by Jenna Jambeck from the University of Georgia, stated that more than half of the plastic waste that flows into the oceans comes from five countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, along with Sri Lanka.
China was said to become the major contributor of worlds plastic waste with 8.82 tons per year of mismanaged plastic waste, while Indonesia sits at second place with 3.32 tons per year.
(Reporting by Virna P. Setyorini/Uu.A059/INE/KR-BSR/O001)
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