Central Java Governor: Waste Management Requires Collective Action

Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi has stated that waste management in the province requires collective action involving the government, the public, communities and the business sector.

“The most important thing is awareness. That is why this activity is a very good momentum. I agree, we will support it later,” said Governor Ahmad Luthfi when receiving an audience with the Central Java World Cleanup Day (WCD) committee in Semarang on Tuesday.

According to him, a number of regions in Central Java have carried out waste management in accordance with the conditions and needs of each region, such as the development of Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) in Cilacap and Banyumas.

He therefore encouraged other regions in Central Java to strengthen integrated waste management.

He expressed hope that the WCD movement would not stop at clean-up activities in a single moment, but could be carried out sustainably. Its implementation is also expected to reach more regions and involve regents, mayors and all stakeholders.

Meanwhile, Central Java WCD Leader Septiany Punti Dewi said the series of events for the eighth WCD would be held from 17 August to 28 October 2026, with the theme “Youth Clean-Up to Liberate Waste”.

“World Cleanup Day is held in more than 200 countries and Indonesia is one of them. This year happens to be the eighth year. Alhamdulillah, Central Java has always ranked first for the highest number of volunteers,” she said.

Central Java WCD Programme Coordinator Purnawirawan added that one of the activities already underway is the Zero Waste School programme in Kudus Regency.

“We also target teachers because they must be able to set an example for children. Schools as places of learning need to instil awareness in students. The hope is that these habits will then be applied at home,” he said.

According to him, the biggest challenge in waste management is the mindset of some members of the public who consider waste issues to be entirely the government’s responsibility.

Therefore, in addition to continuous education, he said, the enforcement of regulations and sanctions needs to be strengthened so that the public can be encouraged to take responsibility for the waste they produce from the source.