Surabaya, East Java (ANTARA) - Mayor of Surabaya Tri Rismaharini talked about waste management in her city while speaking during a debate on Plastics Recycling in Big Cities at the Fifth World Materials Forum (WMF) held in Nancy, France, on Friday (June 14).

The mayor highlighted the success of Indonesia's second largest city in waste management and particularly in plastic recycling and turning organic waste into compost, the Surabaya public relations office said in a statement here on Saturday.

Having a population of 3.3 million, Surabaya had faced serious waste problem several years ago, when the city's landfill was closed by local inhabitants living near the landfill, she said.

The city in cooperation with local communities finally decided to carry our waste sorting that began at homes and selected waste could be sold at trash banks.

The Surabaya administration has established a total of 352 trash banks so far.

Besides, the city has also had 500 environmental facilitators and some 30 thousand environmental cadres to support the recycling program, among others.

Surabaya has also promoted eco-schools, eco-Islamic boarding schools, and eco-universities that encourage students to recycle waste, plant trees, and save energy in their respective environment.

The Fifth World Materials Forum themed "The Future of Materials: Let’s Make It Happen!", was organized from June 12 to 14, 2019.

Translator: Abdul Hakim, Fardah
Editor: Bambang Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019