Waste treatment plant protested
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.