Garbage crisis calls for a law<\/p>\n
Theresia Sufa
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Bogor<\/p>\n
The Jakarta administration renewed demands for a law on the
\nmanagement of waste which is crucial to resolve the current
\ngarbage crisis.<\/p>\n
\"A bylaw made by each region will not be enough because the
\nissue goes beyond borders,\" said Rusman Sagala, head of
\noperational division at the Jakarta Sanitation Agency.<\/p>\n
He was speaking in a one-day seminar on garbage treatment at
\nthe Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) on Thursday, which was
\nalso attended by rector Ahmad Ansori Mattjik, Bekasi councillors,
\nJakarta Sanitation Agency head Rama Boedi, and compost makers.<\/p>\n
Rusman revealed that the agency had drafted an outline for a
\nlaw on garbage in 2002, which was supported by the Office of the
\nState Minister of the Environment.<\/p>\n
\"We even conveyed the idea a few times to the House of
\nRepresentatives, but there has not been a satisfactory response.\"<\/p>\n
Rusman added that a law on waste management would give a
\nstrong legal basis for investors.<\/p>\n
\"The public, therefore, would work together to solve the
\ncrisis on waste treatment, unlike what has happened in Bojong
\nwaste treatment facility,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
The operation of the waste treatment plant in Bojong village,
\nBogor regency of West Java, has been delayed for several months
\ndue to strong rejection of its presence by local residents.<\/p>\n
The management of the plant, which was designed to accommodate
\none third of the Jakarta's 6,000 tons of garbage produced daily,
\nhad even considered withdrawing from the project.<\/p>\n
The latest incident occurred in November last year, when the
\npolice fired at thousands of protesters who were afraid that the
\npresence of the dump would damage the environment and their
\nhealth as happened to residents who live near Bantar Gebang,
\nanother Jakarta dump in Bekasi municipality, West Java.<\/p>\n
Six people were sent to hospital to be treated for gunshot
\nwounds, while 18 residents are currently standing trial for
\nallegedly causing a disturbance which halted the operation of the
\nwaste treatment facility.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Rama Boedi said that most of the garbage produced
\nby Jakartans daily was organic waste which had the potential to
\nbe made into compost or fodder.<\/p>\n
\"I challenge the IPB to establish the technology to treat
\norganic waste ... we have at least 15,000 scavengers in Jakarta
\nwho can be utilized to separate organic waste from non-organic
\nwaste,\" he added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/garbage-crisis-calls-for-a-law-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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