Army Pledges Support for PSEL to Convert Old Waste into Diesel Fuel

The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) has declared its commitment to supporting national waste management through the processing of old waste piles into synthetic diesel fuel. The programme uses pyrolysis technology to handle waste residue that has accumulated for years at final processing sites.

Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General TNI Maruli Simanjuntak explained that the main focus of the Army and its partners is to sort and process old waste that has so far been difficult to handle. He made the remarks while attending the groundbreaking for the construction of a Waste-to-Energy Plant (PSEL) in Bantargebang, Bekasi City, on Wednesday (26/8).

“What we will process are the old waste piles. These are what, up to now, no one has been able to sort,” Maruli said.

He added that although pyrolysis technology is already common, the biggest challenge lies in the process of sorting old waste on a large scale.

To realise the modern processing facility, the Army is targeting a processing capacity of 1,000 tonnes of waste per day at each location. The plan requires at least 5 hectares of land for the main area and an additional half hectare for pre-treatment.

The Army is currently preparing the construction of processing plants at five priority locations spread across West Java to Central Java. Several strategic sites that have been identified include Bantargebang (Bekasi), Galuga (Bogor), and Sarimukti (West Bandung).

Nevertheless, Maruli acknowledged a number of obstacles in the field, particularly regarding bureaucracy and land regulations. In Sarimukti, for example, there are challenges concerning forest area status, processing permits, and regulations for selling the diesel produced.

“Preparing the initial 5 hectares of land was difficult to find. Once found, there is a lease process and time restrictions. The issues of permits and diesel sales must be resolved immediately,” he concluded.