Waste treatment plant protested

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

Hundreds of residents from Kampung Walahir in Nambo village, Klapa Nunggal district, protested on Monday to demand the closure of a waste treatment plant located in the village. The plant is owned by PT Prasadha Pamunah Limbah Industry.

They residents gathered in front of the plant to demand its closure, saying the odor of the waste posed a danger to both the environment and the health of residents.

The villagers said that many of them suffered from breathing and skin problems, and nausea.

Agus Mulyono, the protest coordinator, also demanded the company take steps to resolve the problem of the bad odor, and pay as much as Rp 300 million in compensation to the residents, who have suffered since 2000. Another resident asked for the establishment of a health clinic in the village.

On Sept. 27, 2001, the company signed an agreement promising to stop emitting noxious fumes. But residents charge no action has been taken.

Nemih, 36, a resident, said the foul-smelling fumes were emitted by the plant from 3 a.m. to 8 a.m.

"It gives us headaches, we have stomachaches and it is difficult to breath. Sometimes we also vomit," she said.

The president and chief operating officer of the company, Edward A. Corcoran, said the company had planted trees, installed a machine to monitor emissions and installed caps to cover the plant's tanks to try and solve the problem.

The company, however, is having trouble covering its waste treatment pond. "It will take one month," Edward said.

He claimed that PT PPLI was the only waste treatment company in the country, and served a national interest. He also said that while the smell cannot be totally disregarded, it was still within "normal" levels and that the plant had secured an environmental impact analysis.

He also said that since it began operating eight years ago, the company had developed many public facilities and provided free medical checkups for residents once a month.