"They become cleaner and can receive extra earnings."Surabaya (ANTARA News) - Not all Indonesian districts and cities have trash banks, according to Indonesian Environmental Affairs Minister Balthasar Kambuaya.
"It has not spread evenly yet. Currently, only 55 districts and cities have established trash banks. Many others have not had such banks yet," Minister Kambuaya said here on Friday when inaugurating "Super Depo" trash bank at Sutorejo area.
According to the environmental affairs ministry`s data, up to December 2012, there are 1,136 trash banks in 55 districts and cities in the country`s 17 provinces, involving more than 29,203 workers and with turnover worth more than Rp15 billion.
The government has been encouraging all regional administrations to establish trash banks because garbage or trash has become one of the serious problems facing cities throughout the world, he stated.
If trash or waste is properly managed, the volume could be reduced up to 50 percent. "Besides, it could also increase the income of local people," the minister said.
Scavengers will not lose their job with the presence of trash banks, in fact they are given training in waste treatment so they could participate in the activities of the trash banks.
"They become cleaner and can receive extra earnings," he said.
The minister told the Surabaya mayor that the city should become a center for waste treatment training because Surabaya has new technology for it.
Surabaya has established a sister city cooperation with Japan`s Ketakyushu city which has given modern technologies for waste treatment in "Super Depo" trash banks in Sukorejo and Keputih areas.
Several foreign countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Singapore have established cooperation in waste and water management with Indonesia.
(Uu.A052/F001/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
