Prabowo Proposes Tiles from Recycled Waste Processing
President Prabowo Subianto is considering processed plastic waste for the “gentengisasi” programme he has launched. According to the President, processing waste into tiles can reduce the cost of replacing roofs on houses that still use corrugated iron materials.
Prabowo conveyed this during a visit to the Integrated Waste Processing Site (TPST) Based on Environment and Education (BLE) in Banyumas Regency, Central Java, on Tuesday, 28 April 2026. The TPST is known to produce plastic pellets, paving blocks, and tiles from processed plastic waste.
The President assessed the quality of the tiles made from plastic waste as quite good. “The tiles are decent, effective. They’re said to be quite cheap. This could perhaps fit into the budget for housing repair assistance,” President Prabowo stated, as quoted from the Presidential Secretariat’s remarks.
According to Prabowo, the government will consider using tiles from plastic waste in the housing repair assistance programme. Currently, the budget allocation for house repairs is around Rp 20 million per unit. Prabowo expressed his desire for the “gentengisasi” project to proceed. “We want to eliminate the use of rusty corrugated iron; rust is ultimately unhealthy for the inhabitants,” he said.
The former defence minister also noted that corrugated iron roofs look unsightly. “We will restore Indonesia to a truly beautiful Indonesia, making tourism attractive and comfortable for living,” Prabowo remarked.
President Prabowo previously introduced the “gentengisasi” project at the 2026 National Coordination Meeting of Central and Regional Governments in Sentul, Bogor, West Java, on Monday, 2 February 2026. He wants all household roofs made of corrugated iron to be replaced with tiles.
According to the President, corrugated iron roofs feel hot and rust more easily compared to clay tiles. Prabowo stated that many houses in Indonesian villages still have corrugated iron roofs. “I want all Indonesian roofs to use tiles. So this movement, the project, is the ‘gentengisasi’ project for all of Indonesia,” he said at the time.
Prabowo stated that he will equip the Merah Putih Cooperative with tile factories. According to the Gerindra Party Chairman, the cost to build a tile factory is not expensive. “The raw materials are from soil and mixed with other waste substances, making it lightweight and strong,” Prabowo said. “I received reports from professors that waste from coal, ash, mixed with soil, makes good tile material,” he added.