Surabaya (Greeners) – Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Tuesday (28/2) encouraged industries and public, in general, to take responsibilities and manage their own wastes.

“February 21st in 2005, a disaster caused by human error claimed 157 lives in Leuwigajah,” said VP Kalla in Pantai Kenjaren, Surabaya, at National Waste Care Day celebration.

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Furthermore, he said that planology expert called mismanagement as the reason for the human disaster.

“So, we are here to remind us not to let this happen again in the future,” he said adding that waste was part of daily lives, starting from household, market, industry and modern markets.

“It is impossible to clean up 100 percent,” he said. “So, it depends on how we set up and manage it to other useful products.”

He said waste changed following the era, such as the use of leaves to cover up food turned into plastic covers.

As a result, VP Kalla encouraged waste management, including turned waste into organic fertilizer or recycle waste into other handmade crafts.

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As a huge population nation, Indonesia produces large amount of waste. Despite of regulations, laws, government regulations, regional regulations, waste issues would still be difficult to tackle.

“That is why, we need to work together to change people’s behavior to manage wastes,” he said adding Indonesia’s Free Waste 2020, which only left three more years, would require hard work from all stakeholders.

“The ongoing initiatives must be improved. Industries must also take responsibility because all bare social responsibility,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya appreciated Surabaya administration for its waste management and suggested it to be replicated as national program.

“Surabaya shows leadership, especially on its incentives for scavengers related to recycling,” said Minister Siti.

Reports by HI/G17

Jakarta (Greeners) – At least 155 cities joined up the “Clean Up for Indonesia Free Waste 2020”, an act supported by Ministry of Environment and Forestry as part of the 2016 National Waste Care Day, held in Jakarta, on Sunday (21/02).

Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar released a statement underlined that she welcomes all voluntary acts on waste management in the country.

Minister Siti also encourages provincial, district, city governments, private sectors, civil society organisations, NGO, and public to participate in the act.

“Spontaneous efforts and initiatives from the people for the 2016 National Waste Care Day, through #BebasSampah2020, have all of our support and appreciation,” she said, in Jakarta, on Sunday (21/02).

Dalam aksi yang merupakan bagian dari perayaan Hari Peduli Sampah Nasional 2016, berbagai elemen masyarakat juga menyatakan dukungannya untuk gerakan “Indonesia Bebas Sampah 2020”. Foto: greeners.co/Rizky Damayanti

The act was not limited to Jakarta as it was also picked up by communities from Sabang To Merauke.

Andre Liem of Port Numbay Green Jayapura Care Forum said that Jayapurans also keen on seeing their city free of waste, especially plastic waste since 2010.

To achieve that goal, he said, it requires national policy to tackle waste issues of Jayapura which comprise of beaches and coastal areas.

“We currently just focusing on downstream and that is a problem. We are fortunate that the #FreeWaste2020 runs through up to downstream. This is people’s action,” he said.

Meanwhile, Coordinator of Ocean Friend of Alue Naga village, Banda Aceh, Aceh province, Fauca K. Ramadhan, also encourages people to be aware of environment.

“From Aceh to Indonesia, we can show that we are ready for Free Waste 2020,” he added.

Waste has become a major issue for Indonesians, not only from its management or health risks, but it relates to lifestyles.

As a result, 801 communities of 155 cities/districts in 34 provinces joined together in a national clean up on Sunday, February 21. The act was initiated by young people from Aceh to Papua to achieve Free Waste 2020.

At the end of the event, they announced the Declaration of Indonesia Free Waste 2020 to avoid it being only a ceremonial act.

Report by Danny Kosasih