We believe that our faith is not only demonstrated by implementing a prayer to God, but it can also be shown through our good deeds toward nature. It is an ecological repentance.
Bogor, W Java (ANTARA) - The Environment and Forestry Ministry and the Catholic Church of the Diocese of Bogor City launched the Indonesian Garbage Collection movement on Thursday to build awareness on the benefits of managing waste.

Director General of Toxic and Hazardous Waste Management at the ministry Rosa Vivien Ratnawati said that the ministry has launched such programs with other houses of worship, such as mosques, since 2021.

“Previously, we have launched a similar program with Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama, targeting the mosques. Currently, we are extending the cooperation to Catholic churches," she informed at the launch of the movement here on Thursday.

She said she expected the movement to encourage churchgoers in Bogor city to sort out trash into drop boxes and collect waste for selling.

Hence, the ministry has also involved the Indonesian Plastic Recycling Association (Adupi) as well as the private sector – Mayora Group’s subsidiary Le Mineral -- to purchase and reprocess the collected plastic waste, she informed.

According to the ministry’s data, the amount of waste generated in Indonesia reached 67.8 million tons in 2020.

"Hence, if we do not manage the trash well, the volume of the waste thrown by each person may reach 0.7 kilograms (kg) per day," the ministry’s director general noted.

Furthermore, around 650 tons of waste is generated from the activities of all residents of Bogor city each day, she informed.

Although the figure seems quite big, the city has experienced a decline in the volume of plastic waste thanks to the Bogor Mayor’s Regulation Number 61/2018 concerning the prohibition of the use of plastic bags for shopping in retail businesses.

Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto said that he supports the ministry’s program to encourage church and mosque congregants to sort and collect the waste.

“There is about 600 tons of waste (generated) every day in Bogor city. Some 60 percent of it is organic waste, 13 percent is plastic waste, while the rest is other kinds of waste, such as broken cupboards and beds,” he informed.

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Meanwhile, Bishop of Bogor Diocese Paskalis Bruno Syukur said that the Indonesian Garbage Collection movement can become a form of ecological repentance for congregations.

"We believe that our faith is not only demonstrated by implementing a prayer to God, but it can also be shown through our good deeds toward nature. It is an ecological repentance," he remarked.

Hence, the focus of the movement is not only disposing waste, but also preserving the environment of Bogor city, he added.

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Translator: Linna Susanti, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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