Central Government Assists Penajam Regency in Strengthening Waste Management
Penajam Paser Utara (ANTARA) - The central government is assisting Penajam Paser Utara Regency in East Kalimantan province to strengthen waste management by allocating funds for the construction of an integrated waste processing site (TPST) in the regency.
“The planning documents (detailed engineering design/DED) for the TPST construction have been completed,” said the Regent of Penajam Paser Utara, Mudyat Noor, on Wednesday, when asked about the progress of the TPST construction planning in Penajam.
“The regency government has also provided around 14 hectares of land as the location for the TPST construction,” he added.
The waste management infrastructure funds, to be built near the Buluminung Final Disposal Site (TPA) in Buluminung Ward, Penajam Subdistrict, continued Noor, will be covered by the central government, with physical construction scheduled for 2027.
The TPST will also effectively reduce waste accumulation at the TPA, thereby extending the operational lifespan of the Buluminung TPA, which has accommodated thousands of tonnes of waste since it began operations in 2014.
The Buluminung TPA accommodates around 50 to 60 tonnes of waste per day and can no longer handle the continuously increasing waste volume, necessitating a transformation to modern waste management models.
The regency government’s proposal for the TPST construction received a positive signal from the central government, explained Noor, with an allocation of approximately Rp117 billion in the 2027 budget for waste management infrastructure in Penajam Paser Utara Regency.
Penajam Paser Utara Regency requires a long-term solution, with the TPST serving as the answer to the waste emergency threat, especially given the presence of the Nusantara Capital (IKN), which adds urgency to the TPST development.
As the originating and nearest region, as well as a supporting or partner area for the IKN, it is projected that the population and activities will increase, said Noor, and the volume or waste generation will also rise significantly.
The waste management infrastructure in the form of the TPST will not only serve Penajam Paser Utara Regency but is also being prepared to handle waste from the IKN region, stated Mudyat Noor.