Jakarta (Greeners) – Waste issues cannot be tackled from ecological approach and pollution but also economic approach as one of the models following circular economy has become a solution for waste issues in Europe.
Joan Marc Simon, Director of Zero Waste Europe, said that recycling industry can serve as the anchor in waste management issue.
Through circular economy, the industry applies used items and support government in tackling pollution, especially plastics.
“Waste management is easy to measure. If recycling becomes main attraction then the activities will increase leading to reduce land fills,” said Simon in a discussion dubbed Break Free From Plastic, in Jakarta, on Thursday (27/7).
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As a result, incinerator and waste to energy power plant development in seven cities in Indonesia would not be able to solve waste issues.
Arifsyah Nasution, marine campaigner of Greenpeace Indonesia, 70 percent of waste in Indonesia, especially in big cities such as Jakarta, was dominated with organic waste which consume lots of fuels.
“This kinds of waste should be turned into compost. It serves as a good model if organic waste turn to compost than burn them,” said Arifsyah.
READ ALSO: Ministry of Environment and Forestry: Big Cities Need Incinerator
Furthermore, company’s obligation to manage waste under Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR needed to be applied.
The concept stipulates producers to manage their products with recycle materials to withdraw their plastic packaging.
“All producers, might it be electronics, packaging, or any products, resulted to toxic waste and damaging environment must run this EPR,” said Von Hernandez, coordinator of Break Free From Plastic.
Reports by Danny Kosasih
21 Apr 2024 
