TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, said that waste is a serious problem for Indonesia and the world. He stated that this problem is very complex and must be handled in an integrated manner.
Therefore, Luhut sees an opportunity in the waste processing sector because it can create jobs. “The implementation of the circular economy in waste management is expected to open more than 120,000 new jobs with the recycling industry, as well as 3.3 million supporting informal workers,” Luhut said during his remarks for the virtual launch of the Packaging Recovery Organization (PRO), Tuesday, August 25, 2020.
Luhut gave an example as in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara which has practiced good waste management. He said that the waste processing system there has been integrated, starting from collecting, sorting, and selling which is centered on the waste bank.
According to him, the system has become a circular economy in Lombok. Luhut also said that the waste bank in Lombok has provided benefits to around 2,000 families as a source of income. “They have succeeded in sorting, collecting and selling 50 tons of plastic waste per year,” said Luhut.
