"Indeed, our strategy and approach in waste management must be integrated from upstream to downstream," director of waste management at the ministry Novrizal Tahar said at a webinar on “Plastic Waste Management in Efforts to Control Climate Change,” which was accessed online on Tuesday.
Currently, Indonesia has very complete regulations on waste management, for example, the regulation on the expansion of producer responsibility or extended producer responsibility (EPR), which requires producers to reduce waste from products or packaging, he noted.
"We encourage that in the form of a road map until 2030, at least 30 percent," Tahar informed.
He further said that the government is also strongly promoting massive public initiatives and participation and seeking to increase the capacity of local governments regarding waste management.
Another regulation has been the Less Landfill Policy, which is seeking to reduce the number of open-dumping landfills, he added.
“So, in the future, we will certainly reduce the landfills massively and gradually. After all, this is one of the sources of greenhouse gas emissions. So, in the near future, for example, until 2030, all of our landfills are targeted to be operated as a sanitary landfill and the methane gas will be captured,” he informed.
"Then in 2035, if possible, there will be no new landfills. So indeed, landfill is only for residues, if possible," Tahar said.
The next strategy has been to encourage changes in people's behavior toward a minimal waste lifestyle, including preventing the use of plastic or single-use items, avoiding wasting food, and making compost from food leftovers.
"We hope that the zero-waste lifestyle will become massive and become the characteristic of our nation," he remarked.
Another strategy has been to encourage an increase in the recycling of waste paper, plastic, metal, rubber, glass, and textiles, he added.
The last strategy has been the industrialization of waste management wherein waste can be processed into fertilizer, electricity, energy, materials, and biogas, Tahar said.
Indonesia is aiming to reduce more than 70 percent of plastic waste in the ocean, ensure the proper and correct management of 100 percent of waste by 2030, as well as achieve net-zero emissions by 2060 or sooner.
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Translator: Suci Nurhaliza, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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