Recycling: Preserving the environment<\/p>\n
Plastic products are one of the main enemies of
\nenvironmentalists because, generally, they do not break down and
\nthey do create problems. For the same reason, bottled water was
\nnot viewed as environmentally friendly because its plastic
\nbottles and containers created litter and callous landfills. To
\nmake the problem worse, most Indonesians are still not yet fully
\naware of the need to preserve the environment. The result? Used
\nAQUA bottles scattered everywhere.<\/p>\n
Basically, AQUA is packaged in four types of plastic: Poly
\nCarbonate, Poly Propylene, Poly Ethylene and Poly Ethylene
\nTherephthalate. The last type is usually called by its
\nabbreviation, PET. There are no serious problems with the first
\nthree types of plastic because demand for them has always been
\nhigh. All three can easily be recycled and turned into plastic
\nproducts, such as plastic bags and toys. Because of the demands,
\nscavengers, who by necessity have become the locomotive of our
\nenvironmental protection, have always collected them and sold
\nthem to recycling plants.<\/p>\n
PET is the ideal choice for drinking water bottles and
\ncontainers because of its clear and odorless characters. However,
\nin the past, PET posed a major problem because this type of
\nplastic was not very recyclable . It requires a different process
\nand equipment to recycle bottles and containers made from it.
\nTherefore, most scavengers just ignored them. There was simply no
\nmarket for them.<\/p>\n
It was for this reason that it was no surprise back in 1993,
\nthat then minister of environment, Emil Salim, challenged PT AGM.
\nAt a formal function during the International Bottled Water
\nAssociation convention that was held in Jakarta, he said, \"I
\nchallenge Tirto Utomo to also pioneer the efforts in tackling the
\ngarbage problem created by his AQUA bottles and containers.\"<\/p>\n
Hardly known to anybody at that time, long before that
\nmilestone in PT AGM's history, the late Tirto Utomo, then
\nchairman of the company's board of commissioners, was already
\nsearching for ways in which his company could collect their used
\nbottles and containers. Being the pioneer in the bottled drinking
\nwater industry, he was also aware that his company was a
\npolluter, and he wanted to change that. Minister Emil Salim's
\nchallenge only reinforced his determination in finding the right
\nsolution.<\/p>\n
Shortly after the international convention, which was hosted
\nby PT AGM, Tirto called a management meeting. He shared his ideas
\nwith the others in the management, and the meeting came up with a
\nproposed program for collecting the used bottles and containers.<\/p>\n
It was initially called PEDULI AQUA -- the word PEDULI being
\nthe abbreviation for Pengembangan Daur Ulang Limbah Indonesia
\n(Indonesian Waste Recycling Program). It just so happened that
\npeduli is also an Indonesian word, which means care. Therefore,
\nsubsequently, the name of the program was gradually changed to
\nAQUA PEDULI, which literally means \"AQUA cares\".<\/p>\n
How does the program work? For every 500 ml or 625 ml bottle
\nof AQUA, the customer pays an extra Rp. 5, and Rp. 10 for every
\n1,500 ml bottle of AQUA. These extra charges are called Uang
\nPeduli (a token of caring). It is a token that shows the customer
\ncares about the environment and that he can appreciate an
\nenvironment-friendly product. If he returns the bottle to the
\ncompany, he will get double of what he paid. Thus, he will get
\nRp. 10 for every 500 ml or 625 ml bottle, and Rp. 20 for every
\n1500 ml bottle returned.<\/p>\n
Participation in the AQUA PEDULI program is not limited to
\ncustomers. The program also gives scavengers a strong incentive
\nto collect PET bottles, which formerly did not have any economic
\nvalue to them. For AQUA dealers and distributors, the incentive
\nis even more appealing, and they enthusiastically participate in
\nthe program.<\/p>\n
On February 1, 1993, the AQUA PEDULI program was launched at
\nthe Citereup facility by Emil Salim, only one month after he made
\nhis challenge.<\/p>\n
Once the used PET bottles are collected, the grinding process
\nfollows. The bottles are ground and turned into PET flakes. PT
\nAGM has signed agreements with a number of manufacturers and
\nexporters of plastic goods, whereby it is agreed that the company
\nwill supply them with the flakes.<\/p>\n
Are PET bottles then made of recycled ones? The answer is
\nabsolutely no. Every single one of the AQUA bottle you find on
\nthe market is brand new to ensure the highest level of
\ncleanliness. PET flakes are used to produce other plastic goods,
\nsuch as strapping bands, mats, fiber-fillings for dolls and
\ncushions, as well as chair covers. When exported, the flakes may
\nbe used to produce synthetic textiles that are worn in countries
\nwith cold climates, such as China and Russia.<\/p>\n
What about the Uang Peduli collected from AQUA customers? In
\n1994, PT AGM donated Rp. 200 million to Yayasan Dana Mitra
\nLingkungan (Environmental Partnership Funds). This foundation
\nprovides funding for projects related to environment protection
\nand conservation, including public awareness programs.<\/p>\n
Last March, the second donation was made, and the amount grew
\nto Rp. 600 million. All of this money came from Uang Peduli, the
\nmoney that AQUA customers have paid because they care about the
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
And what about the collection programs? So far, the results
\nhave been very encouraging: Thirty percent out of all used AQUA
\nbottles are collected. More than anything else, the program's
\nsuccess has spurred yet another economic and social consequence.<\/p>\n
Inspired by PT AGM's successful efforts in collecting and
\nprocessing its own PET bottles, a number of scavengers and their
\nbosses have become small-scale entrepreneurs as well.<\/p>\n
They collect PET bottles and containers not only from AQUA
\nproducts but also from many other products, such as from used
\ncooking oils bottles, grind them into flakes and sell them.<\/p>\n
Needless to say, with their ardent participation, the portion
\nof used PET bottles and containers that get recycled in Indonesia
\ncertainly far exceeds the 30 percent figure above.<\/p>\n
Given the fact that in advanced countries the collection rate
\nis only 10 percent to 15 percent, PT AGM really has a reason to
\nbe glad it took the initiative. (zia)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/recycling-preserving-the-environment-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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