Yogyakarta Home Renovation Uses Recycled Waste Materials

Action to renovate or ‘bedah rumah’ for the poor residents led by Yogyakarta Mayor Hasto Wardoyo without APBD or APBN funds has begun to use alternative materials. Earlier this week, the renovation of residents’ houses marked the first time that materials based on recycled plastic waste were used. The material is used to renovate the roof or eaves of the recipients’ homes located in Kampung Pandeyan Umbulharjo and the Ngampilan area in Yogyakarta City. ‘The materials for replacing the roofs of these renovations use recycled feedstock from used plastic bottles, used beverage packaging, and sachet wrappers,’ said Hasto on Monday, 18 May 2026. The recycled roofing material is produced by PT JOS, a unit of the Yogyakarta City Government that processes non-organic waste into marketable building products such as roofing tiles. ‘So all the raw waste materials are purchased directly by PT JOS from the waste feedstock collected from residents, then processed to have economic value,’ he said. Although based on recycled waste, Hasto assures the material’s quality. ‘The plastic-waste-based roofing tiles are very durable and safe to use as protective roof coverings for houses,’ he said. Moreover, Hasto noted that the product quality has been proven with a long warranty from the manufacturer: ‘This is not a cheap or low-quality item. It has undergone testing and the quality is good, with a warranty of up to 10 years.’ The use of recycled materials, according to Hasto, demonstrates that waste properly sorted can bring benefits. The former Kulon Progo regent for two terms added that utilisation of recycled materials is also part of the macro strategy of the Yogyakarta City Government to reduce the volume of waste sent to the final disposal site, while stimulating the region’s circular economy growth. ‘This home renovation carries a broader mission than merely repairing the physical structure of the building; it also seeks to protect the environment while providing a healthy, safe, and standards-compliant dwelling,’ he said in a programme that raises funds from private sector donors. A representative from PT JOS, Prima Kurniawan, stated that all roofing products made from recycled waste have passed through various durability-testing processes. Packaging waste, such as sachet wrappers, plastic beverage bottles, and other used containers, is processed using special technology to transform into sturdy, highly functional building materials. ‘The material has been tested and verified. So the public need not worry about its quality,’ Prima said. Prima explained that the roofing tiles produced from plastic waste have a range of competitive advantages when compared with conventional roofing materials available on the market. In addition to being environmentally friendly, these recycled roofing tiles naturally have a good capacity to dampen solar heat, keeping interior spaces cool. Additionally, the material’s flexibility helps reduce the noise of raindrops when it rains heavily. ‘The advantages, besides being more environmentally friendly, also include heat and rain noise reduction. So homes feel more comfortable,’ Prima said.