UNS — The environmental issues received significant attention recently. In Indonesia, the specific topic revolves around the use of plastic waste. As per McKinsey and Co. and Ocean Conservancy study, Indonesia ranked second as the largest producer of plastic waste after China. Responding to this finding, the Local Government in several regions took a policy to ban single-use plastic bags in their areas.
Contacted by the uns.ac.id team, the Head of Environmental Science Program Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science (FMIPA) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Dr. Prabang Setyono, M.Si., stated that the policy is correct, but it needs improvements. According to Dr. Prabang, institutions such as the Ministry for Education and Culture (Kemendikbud), now Kemendikbud-Ristek, need to find a solution based on the existing research to create bio-degradable plastics. Additionally, local governments made significant money from plastic producers but, on the other hand, ban the use of plastic by the community.
Dr. Prabang mentioned eight platforms that require attention. First, the planning that pays attention to the plastic waste process in the short term, medium-term, and long term. Second, the protection of consumer rights and the sustainability of the plastic industry. Then, the utilization platform or the usage of after-used plastics and not justify it as mere waste. The following platform is the control by reducing plastic use, but not a fatalistic or total prohibition, and promoting responsible plastics use. They were followed by a management platform that requires appropriate facilities such as a supervised landfill and proper management from the source to the end process. Finally, wastes could be sorted and managed according to their type.
The supervising platform is also vital to monitor the existing wastes. Then, the maintenance of waste processing facilities and, lastly, the law enforcement, a just policy for the plastic industry and consumer is needed.
Dr. Prabang also reminded the participants to use plastic products responsibly and for higher education to promote the study on plastic replacement of environmentally friendly plastic. “This way, it could reduce and solve the problem,” he added. Humas UNS
Reporter: Zalfaa Azalia Pursita
Editor: Dwi Hastuti