Antara 9 May 17;
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Maritime Coordinator Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said that the government has pushed the usage of eco-friendly plastics.
During a press conference in Jakarta on Monday, Luhut noted that Indonesia was struggling to fight plastics wastes amid industrial use and peoples awareness regarding the plastics wrapping.
"We are still seeking the rules so that non-plastics materials could be used more widely. This is regarding environmental issue," he stated during his visit to PT Inter Aneka Lestari Kimia in Tangerang, Banten, on Monday.
He stated that people and industries still could not avoid plastic packaging. Therefore, a special attention towards the environmental problems was required.
"Those wrappers should be eco-friendly," he remarked.
PT Inter Aneka Lestari Kimia has claimed that they are the producers of degradable and eco-friendly plastics. They use cassava as one of the main material, which is different from other plastics materials that commonly make use of oil.
Luhut appreciated the companys efforts for not only producing biodegradable products but also increasing their usage of local contents.
"The local contents usage is around 50 percent. If the production volume increased, the price could still be lower," he noted.
Yet, he also revealed that this industry should try to create a new innovation to handle flaws such as the heat resistance.
Luhut added that although the industries related need to be given incentives, they should asses the environmental effects as well.
"The licenses would be compared first with the environmental effects," he explained.
During his visit, Luhut was accompanied by Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartanto.(*)
