Surabaya (Greeners) – Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Tuesday (28/2) encouraged industries and public, in general, to take responsibilities and manage their own wastes.
“February 21st in 2005, a disaster caused by human error claimed 157 lives in Leuwigajah,” said VP Kalla in Pantai Kenjaren, Surabaya, at National Waste Care Day celebration.
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Furthermore, he said that planology expert called mismanagement as the reason for the human disaster.
“So, we are here to remind us not to let this happen again in the future,” he said adding that waste was part of daily lives, starting from household, market, industry and modern markets.
“It is impossible to clean up 100 percent,” he said. “So, it depends on how we set up and manage it to other useful products.”
He said waste changed following the era, such as the use of leaves to cover up food turned into plastic covers.
As a result, VP Kalla encouraged waste management, including turned waste into organic fertilizer or recycle waste into other handmade crafts.
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As a huge population nation, Indonesia produces large amount of waste. Despite of regulations, laws, government regulations, regional regulations, waste issues would still be difficult to tackle.
“That is why, we need to work together to change people’s behavior to manage wastes,” he said adding Indonesia’s Free Waste 2020, which only left three more years, would require hard work from all stakeholders.
“The ongoing initiatives must be improved. Industries must also take responsibility because all bare social responsibility,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya appreciated Surabaya administration for its waste management and suggested it to be replicated as national program.
“Surabaya shows leadership, especially on its incentives for scavengers related to recycling,” said Minister Siti.
Reports by HI/G17
21 Apr 2024 
