Environment Minister Appreciates RDF Waste Management in Jombang
Jombang (ANTARA) - Environment Minister Moh Jumhur Hidayat has praised waste management in Jombang Regency, East Java, which processes waste into Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), saying it has been running well.
The minister assessed that the waste management operation could serve as an example for other regions, particularly in applying a waste reduction system from source to final processing.
“This actually already meets the standards of good waste management. We just need to intervene slightly so that the circular economy can run and deliver greater economic value,” said the Environment Minister during an inspection of the waste management facility at the Banjardowo landfill in Jombang Regency on Wednesday.
He added that the facility in Jombang Regency has met modern waste management standards because it no longer relies on the old model of collect, dump, and dispose.
The central government, he said, would study additional support in the form of technology and equipment, including the possible procurement of Refuse Derived Fuel machines to increase the capacity for processing inorganic waste into alternative fuel for the cement industry.
He explained that the use of RDF is considered environmentally friendly because it can replace part of the coal used as an energy source in the industrial sector.
“This is very environmentally friendly because it reduces the use of coal as fuel. So this is part of the effort to protect the earth while creating green jobs,” he said.
The minister added that the development of waste processing technology also has the potential to increase the number of workers involved in the waste management chain, from sorting through to final processing.
In addition, the government will send a team of experts to calculate the economic scale of waste management in Jombang, including the possibility of increasing RDF production capacity to deliver greater added value for the region.
He also opened the door to inter-regional cooperation through an agglomeration concept, should sending waste from surrounding areas to the processing facility in Jombang prove economically viable and profitable.
The government aims to resolve waste management issues across all regencies and cities in Indonesia within the next one to two years through a combination of RDF development, the circular economy, and the construction of waste-to-energy processing facilities.
Meanwhile, Deputy Regent of Jombang M. Salmanudin Yazid said the RDF programme is highly positive because it helps manage waste effectively.
“This is very effective, because out of 500 tonnes per day (of waste generated in Jombang Regency), 300 tonnes can be properly managed,” he said.
He expressed hope for support from the central government regarding the RDF machines. Beyond managing waste, the facility could later be used to harness the economic potential of the processed waste.
During his visit to Jombang, the Environment Minister also inspected waste processing at the Banjardowo landfill, covering both inorganic and organic waste treatment.