Environment Minister Admits Difficulties in Addressing Marine Waste and Island Areas

Makassar (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq has admitted to difficulties in handling marine waste and waste in island areas, owing to the vast expanse of Indonesia’s seas and the relatively expensive management processes. “Once waste reaches the sea, handling it becomes expensive and chaotic. It cannot be incinerated or processed in certain ways because of the salt content that can produce highly toxic furans when burned,” he explained in Makassar on Sunday. Nationally, only around 25% of waste is processed. Then, about 60% of waste enters landfills. Thus, 40% is still discarded in the field, eventually flowing into the sea. “The President has instructed that land-based waste be resolved by 2029. Meanwhile, the current national achievement for waste processing is only 25%. So, we still need to catch up on the remaining 75% in the last three years. We will focus first on land to then address marine waste,” he stated. Hanif acknowledged that marine and island waste issues remain unresolved tasks for the ministry, but they are collective homework for the government from central to regional levels. “Marine waste cannot be solely burdened on governors or regents/mayors. So, we will take the most crucial handling steps, for example in Bali,” he said. He revealed that his ministry has been addressing waste in Bali, where marine waste is caught in ocean currents, so from September to February, handling is conducted jointly with all agencies, including deploying the TNI and Police to manage Bali’s marine waste. In handling marine waste, the government through the Ministry of Environment is also preparing and regulating strategies. “We actually already have a national team for marine waste management. But, given the vastness of our seas, serious support from governors is indeed needed,” he said.