Jakarta (ANTARA) - Plastic waste produced during Eid al-Adha could reach around 608 tons, most of which is contributed by single-use plastic bags in the distribution of sacrificial meat, according to an official at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

Vinda Damayanti Ansjar, the ministry's Director of Waste Reduction, said on Saturday that this figure is based on an estimated 121.5 million plastic bags, each weighing around 5 grams, used to distribute sacrificial meat from the projected 1.97 million animals sacrificed nationwide.

To address the issue, the ministry issued a circular on June 13 discouraging the use of plastic bags, particularly for distributing sacrificial meat.

Single-use plastic bags can be replaced with reusable food containers, banana leaves, or bamboo baskets, she said.

The ministry also urged regional governments to provide facilities to support efforts to reduce plastic waste.

"Provide segregated facilities for storing and collecting waste at the locations of Eid al-Adha prayers, the slaughter of sacrificed animals, and the distribution of sacrificial meat," she said.

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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Raka Adji
Editor: Anton Santoso
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