Regent: President Prabowo's Visit Strengthens Commitment to Waste Management
Banyumas (ANTARA) - Banyumas Regent Sadewo Tri Lastiono stated that President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to the Integrated Waste Processing Facility Based on Education and Environment (TPST-BLE) in Banyumas Regency, Central Java, strengthens the region’s commitment to developing economic-based waste management.
After accompanying President Prabowo’s working visit to TPST-BLE in Wlahar Wetan Village, Kalibagor Subdistrict, Banyumas, on Tuesday afternoon, he said he was urged to fulfil the promise of making Banyumas waste-free by 2028.
“He wants what I promised to be realised. He said, ‘You must keep your promise by 2028 (waste-free),’ I guarantee it,” he said.
According to him, President Prabowo paid attention to Banyumas’s target of realising the “zero waste to money” concept by 2028, provided that support for waste processing infrastructure development is fulfilled.
In this regard, his side has proposed an additional 15 integrated waste processing facilities (TPST) to the central government to support that target.
“He asked me to keep my promise. I said, I guarantee it, as long as I get assistance for 15 TPSTs,” he said.
In addition, he said, the President directly observed the conditions at TPST-BLE, which he assessed as not producing a strong odour, thus showing that waste management can be carried out in an environmentally friendly manner.
“He even chatted, it’s not smelly. Just dusty perhaps,” he said.
On that occasion, he also explained that the waste management concept developed in Banyumas is not only oriented towards energy but more towards economic value (waste to money) through utilising waste into products with market value.
He gave an example of utilising plastic waste to produce products such as floor pallets, paving blocks, and various household necessities.
“The new one is not just producing RDF, but I will choose to make floor pallets from plastic waste. We have already discussed with parties in Ipoh, Malaysia; they are ready to buy the products,” he said.
In addition, his side is developing other products, such as pen casings produced from recycled plastic waste at a more competitive price compared to market products.
According to him, such innovations also have the potential to increase local own-source revenue (PAD), especially if production is carried out on a large scale and supported by demand from various regions.
He acknowledged that several regions, even from abroad such as Malaysia and Japan, have shown interest in adopting Banyumas’s waste management model, although its implementation must still be adapted to each region’s conditions.
With the President’s visit, Sadewo hopes that central government support for developing waste management infrastructure in Banyumas can soon be realised so that the targets conveyed can be achieved.
During the visit, President Prabowo had the opportunity to listen to an explanation from the Head of the Regional Technical Implementation Unit (UPTD) of TPST-BLE Banyumas, Edy Nugroho, regarding the waste management mechanism up to the resulting products.
Before inspecting the waste processing hangar, the President wore a mask but removed it shortly after.
In addition, the President was seen conversing with Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi and Banyumas Regent Sadewo Tri Lastiono in front of the hangar.
In the working visit, President Prabowo was accompanied by State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, Minister of Environment Jumhur Hidayat, and Deputy Minister for Food Sector Coordinating Hanif Faisol Nurofiq.