Garbage crisis calls for a law

Theresia Sufa The Jakarta Post/Bogor

The Jakarta administration renewed demands for a law on the management of waste which is crucial to resolve the current garbage crisis.

"A bylaw made by each region will not be enough because the issue goes beyond borders," said Rusman Sagala, head of operational division at the Jakarta Sanitation Agency.

He was speaking in a one-day seminar on garbage treatment at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) on Thursday, which was also attended by rector Ahmad Ansori Mattjik, Bekasi councillors, Jakarta Sanitation Agency head Rama Boedi, and compost makers.

Rusman revealed that the agency had drafted an outline for a law on garbage in 2002, which was supported by the Office of the State Minister of the Environment.

"We even conveyed the idea a few times to the House of Representatives, but there has not been a satisfactory response."

Rusman added that a law on waste management would give a strong legal basis for investors.

"The public, therefore, would work together to solve the crisis on waste treatment, unlike what has happened in Bojong waste treatment facility," he remarked.

The operation of the waste treatment plant in Bojong village, Bogor regency of West Java, has been delayed for several months due to strong rejection of its presence by local residents.

The management of the plant, which was designed to accommodate one third of the Jakarta's 6,000 tons of garbage produced daily, had even considered withdrawing from the project.

The latest incident occurred in November last year, when the police fired at thousands of protesters who were afraid that the presence of the dump would damage the environment and their health as happened to residents who live near Bantar Gebang, another Jakarta dump in Bekasi municipality, West Java.

Six people were sent to hospital to be treated for gunshot wounds, while 18 residents are currently standing trial for allegedly causing a disturbance which halted the operation of the waste treatment facility.

Meanwhile, Rama Boedi said that most of the garbage produced by Jakartans daily was organic waste which had the potential to be made into compost or fodder.

"I challenge the IPB to establish the technology to treat organic waste ... we have at least 15,000 scavengers in Jakarta who can be utilized to separate organic waste from non-organic waste," he added.