At a press conference in Jakarta on Friday, Director of Waste Management at the ministry Novrizal Tahar said that since taking office in October 2024, Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq has given special attention to waste management as he considers that it is still not optimal in several locations.
"So, we need to take serious steps so that waste management in Indonesia can be done properly and correctly. The minister has issued several very progressive policies," Tahar explained.
He said that the KLH has taken action against illegal final disposal sites (TPAs) in several regions as well as government-owned TPAs that have not yet made improvements. The action was taken after Minister Nurofiq sent a letter to 306 regional heads where open dumping TPAs are still operating.
The warning was sent because open dumping at TPAs is no longer allowed by Law No. 18 of 2008 on Waste Management. Violations of the regulation, according to Tahar, will invite legal consequences.
The KLH has also issued policies to ensure that producers fulfill their responsibility toward packaging products to reduce waste generation, as well as stop the import of plastic waste for recycling raw materials.
"The Minister of Environment has also issued a policy requiring all producers to implement Ministerial Regulation No. 75 of 2019 on Extended Producer Responsibility," he said.
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Translator: Kuntum Khaira Riswan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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