Environment Minister rates East Java best in waste management

East Java has been ranked first in the assessment of environmental management and waste handling, according to Environment Minister Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat, making it a worthy reference for other regions in Indonesia. After inspecting SMA Negeri 1 Gresik, which holds the Adiwiyata Mandiri title, in Gresik Regency on Wednesday, Jumhur said East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa has successfully managed the environment, particularly regarding waste issues. “East Java is ranked first in our assessment of environmental management and waste handling. This can serve as an example for other provinces that are still less serious and neglectful of this issue,” he said in Gresik on Wednesday. Based on data from the National Waste Management Information System of the Ministry of Environment, which serves as the reference for the 2026 evaluation, waste generation in East Java reaches approximately 12,314 tonnes per day, or more than eight million tonnes per year. Meanwhile, an evaluation by the East Java Financial and Development Supervisory Agency shows that waste reduction at source through sorting and waste banks has only reached around 11 per cent, so strengthening community-based waste management is still being encouraged. Jumhur explained that East Java’s success is inseparable from the local government’s efforts to build public awareness of environmental conservation, including through the Adiwiyata Programme targeting educational institutions. According to him, the Adiwiyata Programme is an instrument of the Ministry of Environment to encourage schools to build a culture of environmental care through phased assessments up to the highest title, Adiwiyata Mandiri. “At SMA Negeri 1 Gresik, our assessment places it in the highest category. They have succeeded in fostering environmental awareness and serve as an example for educational institutions across Indonesia,” he said. Meanwhile, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said the provincial government is also developing innovative schools based on food security to complement the implementation of the Adiwiyata Programme. She said the concept of food security does not have to be applied on large tracts of land but can be developed within the school environment through agriculture, animal husbandry, or fisheries involving students. “We want this to be a pilot project. All land in educational institutions can be utilised, and the produce can be downstreamed into processed products with added value that can be marketed,” she said. Prior to visiting SMA Negeri 1 Gresik, the Environment Minister also inspected the implementation of the ASRI Green and Smart Port Initiatives at Pier C of Petrokimia Gresik Port as part of efforts to promote sustainable environmental management practices in the industrial and port sectors.