Indonesia: Jakarta Residents Agree on Limiting Disposable Plastic Bag

Ricky Mohammad Nugraha Tempo 3 Jan 19;

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jakarta Environmental Agency announced that 80 percent of the city’s residents welcomed the idea of limiting the use of disposable plastic bags.

The Agency's head of waste management Rahmawati, said that the Agency acquired the data based on a door-to-door survey conducted on respondents that mostly consist of housewives.

"Almost 80 percent [of respondents] agreed to a limit on the use of disposable plastic bags and willing to bring their own [reusable] bags," said Rahmawati to Tempo on Thursday, January 3, 2019.

The survey itself is the agency's initial steps upon introducing the regulation that is waiting to be ratified by Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan who is expected to sign it this week. However, the governor said that a solution upon replacing disposable plastic bags must be found prior to introducing the rule.

Rahmawati explained that the agency's data found that Jakarta produces wastes up to 2.5 million tons annually that comprise of 357,000 tons of plastic waste. Out that total amount, disposable plastic bag wastes amount to 1,900 to 2,400 tons of waste each year, roughly 240-300 million pieces of plastic bags.

M YUSUF MANURUNG

Jakarta Environmental Agency on Plastic Ban: Food Wrap is Allowed
Aripin Tempo 4 Jan 19;

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta governor's regulation on the plastic ban will not prohibit the use of plastic wrap for food.

“We still allow it (the use of plastic) for food, but not in the form of shopping bags,” said the Head of Waste Management Section of Jakarta Environmental Agency Rahmawati to Tempo, Thursday, January 3.

Rahmawati said that the use of plastic for food that is allowed is plastic wrap. It is commonly used at a convenience store or shopping center to wrap fruit or other foods.

“What we regulate is more to shopping bags, which are usually given at the cash register,” she said.

The Jakarta provincial administration planned to reduce the amount of plastic waste by limiting the use of plastic bags in markets, shops, and shopping centers. The governor’s regulation was handed over to Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan to be signed.

Rahmawati said that sanction for violators will be effective six months after the governor's regulation on the plastic ban was signed.

According to data shown by Rahmawati, the average waste in Jakarta weighs 2.5 million tons per year. The 357,000 tons of them are plastic wastes. Especially for plastic bags, Jakarta residents contribute 1,900 to 2,400 tons per year. That amount is equivalent to 240-300 million plastic bags.

Governor Anies Baswedan said the governor's regulation on the plastic ban still needed a lot of corrections since it is not a simple matter. He said that it should also regulate the substitute of plastic for the community.

“Housewives will find it difficult if we do not start preparing for the substitutes,” Anies said in Pondok Kopi, East Jakarta, Thursday, January 3.

M YUSUF MANURUNG