Resident makes money from oil pollution<\/p>\n
Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
People normally make a living from a river by catching and
\nselling the fish that live in it, but in Kampung Sawah, Pulo
\nGadung, Andi, 56, sops up and sells the oil and diesel fuel that
\npollutes the small river that runs past his house.<\/p>\n
The river shines black with oil and fuel from the factory of
\nPT Jakarta Cakratunggal Steel Mills, which stands a few meters
\nfrom his house.<\/p>\n
Every day, Andi places wide sponges on the water's surface to
\nabsorb the oil and fuel. He then squeezes the sponges over a
\ndrum, where Andi stores the oil and fuel before selling it for Rp
\n50,000 for 200 liters.<\/p>\n
\"Usually I can sop up the oil and fuel and fill up to three
\n200-liter drums every week,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that when the steel factory was especially busy, he
\ncould fill up to five drums a week and earn up to Rp 1 million a
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
And once every three months the river is so polluted Andi can
\nfill 20 drums in a week. He suspects this happens when the
\nfactory is servicing its machinery.<\/p>\n
During the busy times his wife helps him with the work.<\/p>\n
The idea of sopping up fuel from the polluted river popped up
\nseven years ago, when the river caught fire.<\/p>\n
Andi said a resident was burning his garbage when a fire
\nsparked up in the middle of the river and crept up to the
\nfactory, following the line of diesel fuel.<\/p>\n
Residents realized there was an ample amount of diesel fuel in
\nthe river and begin skimming it off the top of the water.<\/p>\n
\"Back then I collected a liter of fuel and brought it to some
\nworkshops a kilometer from here. Apparently, they liked it and
\ncontinued to buy it,\" Andi said.<\/p>\n
He said he had no idea what the fuel he collected was used
\nfor. However, it is no secret that there are a number of fake oil
\nproducers who sell their products in the market.<\/p>\n
Andi now has a regular buyer, who comes to his house to buy
\nhis collected fuel.<\/p>\n
When he started the business six years ago, there were lots of
\nother residents collecting fuel from the river, but Andi is the
\nonly person still at it.<\/p>\n
\"Maybe the others aren't patient enough or can't stand the
\ndirty river,\" he said.<\/p>\n
As the Post observed, besides oil and fuel the river is also
\nfilled with garbage and who knows what else.<\/p>\n
So far, though, Andi can't complain about his health. However,
\nhe said he wouldn't use the water for washing or bathing.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, some residents of Kampung Sawah use the river
\nwater to irrigate their rice fields, the harvests from which are
\nsold in their hometown of Karawang, West Java.<\/p>\n
So for anyone who buys rice in Karawang, bon appetite.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/resident-makes-money-from-oil-pollution-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }