Environmental protection a matter of attitude<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Pollution has become an evil enemy of the living
\nworld. Slowly but surely, with its invisible tentacles, it kills
\nplants, animals and humans.<\/p>\n
The level of pollution in different parts of the world varies.
\nBut generally, things are worse in developing countries, which
\nare striving to boost their economic development -- often at the
\nexpense of the environment.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, as well as many other Third World's cities, the
\nair pollution is beyond tolerable levels, due to emissions from
\nfactories as well as vehicles.<\/p>\n
Cars, trucks, buses and motorbikes, which do not meet road-
\nworthiness standards, produce thick black smog wherever they go,
\njeopardizing the surrounding environment. Unleaded fuel is not
\npopular and people do not really care about their vehicles'
\nemissions.<\/p>\n
Many motorists are too lazy to regularly tune their cars, even
\nwhen they are heavily polluting the air. They prefer to wait
\nuntil the vehicle breaks down before taking them to a mechanic.<\/p>\n
\"They know about the dangers of pollution but they just don't
\ncare,\" P.L. Coutrier, Deputy for Development of Indonesia's
\nEnvironmental Impact Management, said frowning.<\/p>\n
In a recent interview with The Jakarta Post, he said that in
\nmany cases, pollution problems have more to do with mental
\nattitudes rather than environmental awareness.<\/p>\n
Calling for a change in mental attitudes, Coutrier urged
\npublic transportation companies, as well as private car owners,
\nto pay more attention to their vehicles, checking them regularly
\nto reduce pollution.<\/p>\n
In 1992, then state minister of population and environment
\nEmil Salim, launched the Blue Sky Program, which included the
\nsmog check requirement, to reduce vehicular emission. The program
\nwas in line with new Traffic Law No.14\/1992, which has a special
\nclause on environmental impact. However, the operation of the
\nambitious smog check plan was canceled following public protests
\non Traffic Law No.14\/1992.<\/p>\n
The law introduced new obligations, such as requirements to
\nuse seat belts and to subject vehicles to strict emissions tests.
\nIt calls for stiff fines and penalties for violators.<\/p>\n
Article 67 of the law states that anyone violating the
\nemission limit can face a maximum two-month jail term, or a Rp 2
\nmillion fine.<\/p>\n
Because of strong objections by the public, to the hefty fines
\nin the new traffic law, the government was forced to postpone it
\nuntil September 1993, and then enforce it in stages.<\/p>\n
The clause on environmental impact remains ineffective to this
\nday Coutrier noted sadly. \"The government, in an effort to reduce
\nvehicular emissions, should put high priority on the
\nimplementation of this article.\"<\/p>\n
Rivers<\/p>\n
Like its air, Jakarta's waterways are also heavily polluted.
\nMany rivers in Indonesia are contaminated by industrial, as well
\nas domestic, waste.<\/p>\n
In 1988 the government launched the clean river operation,
\ncode-named Prokasih. The result was incredible. According to
\nCoutrier, the volume of waste dumped into 25 rivers, in 11
\nprovinces, was reduced by 50 percent.<\/p>\n
\"The polluting companies managed to reduce their waste without
\nchanging the technology. What they are doing is improving
\nefficiency,\" Coutrier said.<\/p>\n
He blasted companies which complain they could not afford the
\nwaste minimization program. \"If they had the will, I'm sure they
\ncould do it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
To reduce industrial wastes and hazards, Indonesia has begun
\nto adopt, in the upstream industries, the cleaner production
\nconcept, developing and using cleaner technologies and processes.
\nIt is not always necessary to apply high-tech or expensive
\nequipment in this cleaner production program, Coutrier said.<\/p>\n
\"Don't make judgments based on the instrument. What's
\nimportant is the result,\" Coutrier said.<\/p>\n
He denied the assumption that Indonesia is left far behind in
\nthe field of environmental technology.<\/p>\n
\"Basically, our technology is not that bad,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Two officials from the California Environmental Protection
\nAgency, Tim Ogburn and Gary L. Saphiro, were here recently to
\nexplore the possibility of building a partnership in the field of
\nenvironmental technology.<\/p>\n
California is the home of 1,400 environmental technology
\ncompanies, which are ready to cooperate with interested
\nIndonesian counterparts, Ogburn said.<\/p>\n
The state of California has built such a partnership with Hong
\nKong and is working on the same project with Thailand.<\/p>\n
\"We are open to any business offers, but it depends on the
\nbusiness people themselves which choice they will pick,\" Coutrier
\ntold the Post after meeting with the American delegation.<\/p>\n
He called on local industries to make thorough considerations
\nin their decision to choose the best environmental technology.<\/p>\n
According to Coutrier, in the field of environmental industry
\nIndonesia has cooperated with companies from Texas, British
\nColumbia and Canada. (sim)<\/p>",
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