Environment Minister Receives Requests for Waste Management Assistance in West Sumatra

Environment Minister Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat received requests for assistance in resolving waste problems from a number of district and city governments in West Sumatra during a working visit to the province. “There is currently a budget revision at the ministry; hopefully within a month there will be funds available so we can respond to the regions’ requests,” said Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat in Parik Malintang, Padang Pariaman Regency, West Sumatra, on Tuesday. He said the budget revision for the environment was made because the central government realises that the waste problem is a national issue that must be addressed immediately. He stated that the central government must intervene directly in waste management affairs, as the situation now requires serious and comprehensive handling. “We are deliberately waking everyone up to move together in drafting a waste management roadmap for the next two years,” he said. He noted that the waste problem is not solely the responsibility of the central government, but also of provincial, district and city governments, and even the community. He revealed that nationally, around 74 per cent of waste is still not managed properly, while the remainder has been managed optimally. Furthermore, about 70 per cent of Final Processing Sites in Indonesia still use an open dumping system. It is hoped that all sites still implementing open dumping can soon transform into more environmentally friendly management, so that no more sites operate with that system. The Ministry of Environment warned of the dangers of open dumping sites, as they have the potential for fires that can take days to extinguish. The minister also reminded all levels of society not to litter, as it will impact the environment and ultimately affect human health and safety.