Jakarta (ANTARA) - Acting Jakarta Governor Heru Budi Hartono proposed a new island to be developed on Jakarta's northern coast to facilitate waste management in the province and its agglomeration area for at least the current century.

He explained that it could be the solution, as Jakarta has no more space for new landfills while relying solely on the Bantargebang landfill in Bekasi, West Java, for Jakarta's waste management would not be sustainable.

"I believe the proposed landfill we discuss today will not be only for Jakarta but also for Bekasi, Depok, South Tangerang, and the agglomerated area for the next 100 years," Hartono stated.

The new island could be developed by accumulating sediments and debris from Jakarta's 13 rivers and waste produced by residents, he stated.

"We reclaim the land with sediments and waste until it forms an island," he remarked.

The interim governor noted that some countries, such as Singapore, Maldives, and Japan, have set up such islands to manage their waste.

"We should ensure the Greater Jakarta region is environmentally friendly. Jakarta cannot continue transporting its waste to Bantargebang nor develop such facilities on existing land," Hartono remarked.

He stated that the proposal would be submitted to the central government for further assessment, especially as development of the new island could not be carried out singlehandedly by the Jakarta authority.

"We cannot carry out the development only on our own. It should be carried out with the central government," the acting governor remarked.

Meanwhile, the Jakarta provincial authority is preparing a site in the Thousand Islands region as a new waste management facility in a more sustainable manner.

"We should have sustainable waste management facilities with larger volumes to cater to demands for at least the next 50 years," Jakarta Environmental Office chief Asep Kuswanto stated on Tuesday.

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Translator: Siti Nurhaliza, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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