Deputy Minister of Environment and Forestry (LHK) Alue Dohong on Monday highlighted the need for waste management to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, especially methane.
“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a waste management system is also very essential as it will be related to efforts to contain exhaust gases,” he said at the 2022 National Waste Care Day commemoration, which he joined virtually on Monday.
It is hoped that a chain management system will ensure no more waste material is processed into gas, including methane gas, which can cause a greenhouse effect, he added.
Waste management can also be a new source of energy, support Waste Power Plants (PLTSa), and be used to produce fertilizers and industrial raw materials, he said.
“Obviously, waste management is an important part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Dohong remarked.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s Director General of Waste, and Hazardous Toxic Management (PSLB3) Rosa Vivien Ratnawati said that this year’s National Waste Care Day marks a new era of waste management in the country.
The National Waste Care Day commemoration, entitled “Manage Waste, Reduce Emissions, Build a Climate Village Program (Proklim),” features three activities under one program, and is aimed at increasing public awareness on waste to help the nation overcome climate issues as well as improve waste management and social forestry systems, she said.
“Significant amounts of methane gas generated from landfills can cause a greenhouse gas effect. Then, methane gas can also be produced from wrong waste management activities such as burning garbage in open areas and indiscriminate disposal of garbage,” she noted.
To support the handling of greenhouse gas emissions, the ministry has started a waste management assistance program at four locations in Gianyar district of Bali province under the Climate Village Program (Proklim), she informed.
The four locations will serve as pilot areas for 3,270 other climate villages throughout Indonesia, Ratnawati said.
Source: Antara News