Govt criticized on waste management price

Govt criticized on waste management price

BATAM, Riau: Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) here
complained on Wednesday about the excessive cost charged by
state-run Industrial Waste Management Installation based in
Cilengsi, West Java, for the processing of poisonous chemical
substances in Batam.

They argued that a similar company in neighboring Singapore
could handle the work at a lower cost.

According to Aris Muryasani, coordinator of a Batam-based NGO
concerned with environmental issues, BILIK, the Singapore company
could process such substances at 50 percent of the cost charged
by the Cilengsi-based installation.

"With such expensive prices that the factories have to pay to
the government, many of them have become reluctant to officially
report how much of the substances they produce each year.

"As an impact, these factories may depose of their substances
elsewhere and, of course, it will have a negative impact on the
environment," Aris told The Jakarta Post.

Companies in Indonesia produced about 4,800 tons of substances
each year and have to pay the government US$120 for each 200
liters of substance.

"The price is too expensive compared to only about $60 for
each 200 liters in Singapore," Aris said.

Aris said he asked the environment minister to establish a
similar installation in Batam, but the minister dropped the
suggestion, saying that companies in Batam "only produce about
27.8 percent of total substance nation wide." -- JP