The government cannot work by itself since garbage comes from various places, such as households, factories, markets, and other locations.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Waste management is a collective responsibility for the government, businesses, communities, as well as individuals, Vice Minister of Environment and Forestry Alue Dohong has stressed.

"The government cannot work by itself since garbage comes from various places, such as households, factories, markets, and other locations," he said during the 'Role Sharing in Cleaning Indonesia' virtual discussion, accessed from here on Monday.

To this end, the involvement of each part of society becomes important and raising awareness regarding the issue has to be done continuously, he emphasized.

Dohong said that efforts to raise awareness and disseminate knowledge among all parties are an important step in distributing the roles and responsibilities in waste management.

A mapping exercise performed by the Ministry of Environment and Forest has found that 54 percent of plastic waste and 55 percent of paper waste is still being thrown away into the environment or not recycled, he highlighted.

Garbage management is done to improve citizens' health and the quality of the environment as well as to turn garbage into a resource, Dohong stressed.

According to Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, waste management is an inseparable part of efforts towards changing citizens' behavior to ensure a cleaner and healthier life.

Indonesia's waste problem is a challenge to be solved together, he said.

The government is currently aiming to realize 100-percent garbage management by 2025, with 30 percent of efforts focused on garbage reduction and 70 percent on management, he pointed out.

"To realize the remaining target by 2025, we have to work harder, especially during the pandemic that affects the increase of the number of plastic garbage and B3 COVID-19 medical waste," he added.


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Translator: Prisca Violleta, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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