Rattan firms accused of pollution
Rattan firms accused of pollution
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon, West Java
Most of the approximately 1,200 rattan companies in the province of West Java have been accused of failing to protect both the environment and the rights of their workers.
"More than 80 percent of the rattan companies in West Java, mostly located in Cirebon regency, have damaged the environment," said Yoyon Suharyono, chairman of the non-governmental organization Labor and Environmental Foundation (YBHL).
"They have also disregarded the labor rights of their workers," he told The Jakarta Post in Cirebon.
Yoyon said only 53 of the companies had the required UKL and UPL documents for environmental management and conservation.
Only 10 percent of 1,200 companies protected their workers by providing them with insurance through state-owned worker insurance company PT Jamsostek, he said.
"The owners of the companies could be categorized as criminals and charged with environmental and labor offenses, because they clearly violate Law No. 3/1992 on Jamsostek and Law No. 23/1997 on the environment," he said.
Yoyon's accusations come after an environmental survey was carried out last year of companies operating in Cirebon.
"The monitoring was carried out by YBHL, in cooperation with the Cirebon environment office and the local branch of PT Jamsostek," he said.
He said the findings showed a lack of environmental awareness on the part of the rattan companies in West Java, many of which also export their products overseas.
"According to a recent study by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, the waste produced during the finishing process at these rattan companies is categorized as B3 (toxic), which is very dangerous to the surrounding people," Yoyon said.
He said it was unclear how the companies were able to obtain operational permits since it was obvious they failed to meet the environmental requirements stipulated in Law No. 23/1997.
"I can't imagine how companies that do not have UKL and UPL documents are allowed to operate. It sets a bad precedent for the environment."
Rattan businessman Tom Hermanto confirmed that most rattan companies in West Java failed to abide by environmental regulations.
He said the main reason companies did not have UKL and UPL documents was the high cost of obtaining them.
"Just imagine, to arrange for these documents costs a medium- sized company about Rp 50 million. That amount does not include the additional costs for installing waste processing equipment, such as a septic tank," said Tom, president director of rattan company PT Tena Mandiri.
In response to the YBHL report, Cirebon Regent Sutisno vowed to take firm action against companies found damaging the environment and neglecting their workers' rights.
"I want companies to pay more attention to the environment and labor rights. If some of them do not take this into account, I will order them to stop operating in Cirebon," he said.