Only 23 of 98 hospitals have waste treatment units

JAKARTA (JP): Only 23 of Jakarta's 98 hospitals have waste treatment systems, according to the city environmental bureau.

The head of the bureau's control division, J.B. Damanik, said yesterday the 47 state-owned hospitals and private hospitals were evaluated in the city's pollution control program.

The program checks the quality of waste discharged into rivers.

"From 47 hospitals only 50 percent of them have standard waste treatment units," Damanik said.

Last February 10 hospitals were already warned for failure to build waste treatment plants. Four hospitals -- Fatmawati, Persahabatan, Ongko Mulyo and Halim Perdanakusuma -- were punished. Their pipes which discharged waste directly into rivers were sealed. Six hospitals got written warnings.

"But none of (the 10 hospitals) have reported whether they have built the waste treatment units or not," Damanik said.

He conceded the bureau was inconsistent in punishing hospitals which violated rules.

"It's difficult to take stern action against hospitals because of their social function," Damanik said.

The Ministry of Health issued a 1992 decree requiring all hospitals to have waste management units. The decree gave hospitals three years to build the units.

The Governor issued a 1995 decree requiring all industries and hospitals to treat waste before dumping it into rivers.

Under both decrees the government can impose administrative sanctions on hospitals.

Hospitals have unofficially objected to building the waste treatment plants because they are expensive.

Councilor Atje Muljadi from Commission E for Welfare Affairs said hospitals should not ignore the rules just because of the cost.

"Hospital waste is very dangerous because it's not only liquid waste, but also human waste, which is very harmful," Atje said.

The Cikini Hospital spent Rp 700 million (US$297,872) on its waste treatment plant, which can treat 340 cubic meters of liquid waste a day.

Atje said state-owned hospitals should lead the way with waste treatment units. "State-owned hospitals should become good example for private hospitals," Atje said.

He suggested the Ministry of Health provide more funds for the waste treatment units.

The government already subsidizes state-owned hospitals for the treatment plants.

The six hospitals the bureau warned were Gatot Subroto, Pasar Minggu, Budi Asih, Marinir, Abdi Mulya and the YPK maternity hospital.

Last week the bureau was criticized for not releasing the full list of hospitals dumping waste directly into rivers. (ste)