Gov’t to Speed up Micro-scale Waste Management Tech, Start Pilot Project This Year

Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto delivers statement after joining a limited meeting with Red and White Cabinet ministers, at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (02/11).

As a part of the implementation of Waste to Energy program, the Government will speed up the development of waste management technology, particularly at the micro scale.

Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto said that President Prabowo Subianto in a limited meeting called for acceleration of micro waste management technology developed by a number of universities in Indonesia.

According to the Minister, several technologies are being developing and will be speeded up through several pilot projects to be conducted in various regions. The development, he added, will be integrated in collaboration with state asset fund Danantara to ensure effectiveness and sustainability of the program.

“We will choose several technologies from many that were discussed earlier. We will also work in collaboration with Danantara so that in the future, waste management will also operate at the micro levels, becoming more effective at the village/sub-district level,” Brian said.

In implementing the program, the Government will also take into account environmental aspect by working together with Ministry of Environment to ensure that all technology implemented without any negative impacts to the environment. Thus, it requires further meeting with the Ministry of Environment, Danantara, and regional governments to follow up the issue.

“So we will soon hold a meeting with the Ministry of Environment and Danantara to further develop the technology on a larger scale, to improve the standard. We also spoke earlier with the regional governments, and we will soon conduct pilot projects in several cities. Hopefully, this can accelerate waste management efforts while we wait for the Waste-to-Energy program currently being carried out by Danantara to progress,” he explained.

The Government has set a target to start the pilot project in several sub-districts and villages this year. Unlike the Waste-to-Energy concept, which generates electricity, Brian explained that this micro-scale technology is focused on reducing and processing waste into useful derivative materials, such as sand that can later be mixed into cement and other applications. Around 10 tons waste collected from sub-districts and villages will be processed per day.

Though this program, the Government affirmed its commitment to build a more adaptive waste management ecosystem integrating technological innovation, the role of universities, and cross-ministerial and regional government collaboration, while accelerating the realization of a cleaner and more sustainable environment. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (RAS/LW)