Government announces names of river polluters

Government announces names of river polluters

JAKARTA (JP): The government announced yesterday a list of the
domestic companies that cause the most river pollution.

The Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedal), the
government's environmental watchdog, disclosed the results of its
re-evaluation of 120 companies, and rated them according to how
they live up to their environmental responsibilities.

The worst river offenders include two tanneries, two paper and
pulp producers, one rubber industry and one sugar mill.

The companies were evaluated in December 1995, and 115 were
found to have dumped waste into rivers.

Of these 115 companies, five were then rated "black" while 77
were on the "red" list. Another 32 companies were rated "blue"
while only one got the praiseworthy "green" for good
environmental standards.

In the current evaluation, six companies were put on the
"black" list. One of the six, paper and pulp producer PT Sari
Morawa, was on last year's "black" list. Only one was rated
"green"

Of the other five previously black-listed companies, three
improved to "red", and one progressed significantly, jumping to
the "blue" list.

"There has been a significant improvement in the way companies
manage their waste," State Minister of Environment Sarwono
Kusumaatmadja, who also chairs Bapedal, said when announcing the
re-evaluation findings.

Owned by Syarifuddin Purba, PT Sari Morawa is located on Jalan
Raya Tanjung Morawa, Deli Serdang regency, North Sumatra.

"Police are currently investigating Sari Morawa at the request
of the Deli Serdang regent, while the local community is suing it
for polluting their river," Sarwono said.

The company is still operating.

The other five companies on the current "black" list were PT
Madu Baru, a sugar mill in Sleman, Yogyakarta, owned by
Sumargono; PT New Kalbar Processors, a rubber factory in West
Kalimantan owned by Rustam Indra; PT Kasin, a tannery in Malang,
East Java, owned by Paul Zakaria; PT Sinar Obor, a tannery in
Yogyakarta owned by Remi Sjamsudin; and PT Pelita Cengkareng
Paper, a pulp and paper producer owned by Jotje Wantah.

They received the "red" rating last year.

"Now they are in the 'black' category because they increased
production without improving their waste management facilities,"
Bapedal Deputy for Pollution Supervision Nabiel Makarim said.

Sarwono said the rating cannot be used as a legal instrument
for people to sue environmental polluters. Instead, it serves to
inform and assist people affected by pollution to initiate legal
action against the offenders.

In the lawsuits, Bapedal officers are ready to testify as
expert witnesses for plaintiffs.

In December 1995, Bapedal made the first disclosure of the
five companies which considered as the worst river polluters
after its studies of 213 companies.

No company in the country has ever received the best category
of "gold", which is reserved for those with zero pollution.
Companies might need to make thorough changes, such as new
investment or changing management practices, before their
environmental precaution could improve sufficiently to justify
the rating, Sarwono admitted.

"'Green' companies are already internationally recognized," he
said.

Nabiel is optimistic that in the next few years, there would
be companies worthy of a "gold" rating. "After this program, we
can expect that there will be companies with zero pollution," he
said.

The Proper Prokasih, or the program for pollution control,
evaluation and rating, evaluates the quality of waste water from
a factory discharged into rivers. The rating does not include
discharge into the air.

In December this year, Bapedal will announce the ratings of
300 companies. (ste)