Environment Minister: Waste Sorters to Receive Protection as 'Green Collar Workers'
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Environment (LH) Jumhur Hidayat stated that the movement to change the paradigm by replacing the term ‘pemulung’ (scavenger) with waste sorter workers establishes them as Green Collar Workers who receive social protection.
In a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday, the Minister of Environment/Head of the Environmental Control Agency (BPLH) said the government is providing social protection to waste sorters because the transformation process towards a green economy must not leave behind the workers who have been the backbone of waste management.
“We are replacing the term ‘pemulung’ with waste sorter workers. They contribute greatly because they are on the front line of material sorting before it enters processing facilities. Therefore, they deserve to be called Green Collar Workers or Environmental Heroes who provide direct benefits for environmental sustainability,” said Minister Jumhur.
Speaking after attending the Collaborative Action for the Launch of Social Protection for the Indonesian Waste Informal Sector at the RDF Plant in Rorotan, North Jakarta, on Monday (10/8), Minister Jumhur stated that this momentum marks a new chapter of state recognition for waste sorter workers who have been at the forefront of the national circular economy chain.
He also stressed that the transformation process towards a green economy must not leave behind the workers who have been the backbone of waste management. He highlighted their significant contribution in reducing the burden on Final Processing Sites (TPA), increasing national recycling rates, and providing raw materials for the recycling industry long before the circular economy concept became widely known.
As a tangible form of protection, the government, through collaboration with BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, is providing a 50 percent discount on contributions for Work Accident Insurance (JKK) and Death Insurance (JKM) for informal sector workers who meet the requirements. Minister of Manpower Yassierli explained that this adjustment reduces the workers’ monthly contribution from the previous Rp16,800 to Rp8,400.