New sorting system for Bekasi dump

The Jakarta Post, Bekasi

The Bekasi municipal administration plans to install a garbage sorting mechanism at the Sumur Batu dump, which is expected to reduce garbage by at least 25 tons per day.

The project, to be completed in conjunction with the Public Works Ministry, is scheduled to start by the end of February, said Abdul Malik, the head of the waste and sanitation division at the Bekasi Sanitation, Parks and Cemetery Agency, on Tuesday.

"We want people to make use of recyclable garbage. We expect to cut down on garbage by at least 25 tons per day through this project. If the project works, we will apply the same method at other dumps," Abdul told The Jakarta Post.

The machine, which will use a conveyor belt, will be funded by the ministry at a cost of Rp 1.5 billion, said Susmono, the director of residential sanitation at the Public Works Ministry.

However, he added that the administration would be required to build a Rp 450 million storage area to house the machine.

The Bekasi administration manages several dumps, including the Bantargebang, Sumur Batu and Leuwigajah dumps. The 11-hectare Sumur Batu dump receives approximately 1,500 tons of garbage from Bekasi per day, while the 108-hectare Bantargebang dump receives around 6,000 tons of garbage from Jakarta.

An open dumping system is used at the dumps, which causes various environmental and health problems.

The dumps are havens for scavengers who are able to make a living sorting through garbage. However, no safety regulations are in place to protect the scavengers. In September 2006, three scavengers died at the Bantargebang dump site after a mountain of trash collapsed on them.

Susmono said the administration decided to develop a garbage sorting system after the accident.

He said his office initially offered the system to the Jakarta administration for the Bantargebang dump site. However, Jakarta turned down the proposal as it did not want to spend money on storage facilities, Susmono said.

"The main aim of the project is to humanize scavengers. They should have a safe and healthy place to work in. We will recruit 40 scavengers for the pilot project," he said.

Bagong Suyoto from the Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) said he supported the project but called for better garbage processing systems to be introduced.

"After scavengers collect the non-organic garbage, the organic garbage could be turned into fertilizer and the rest could be disposed of properly," he said.

Abdul said the project was expected to reduce operational costs and extend the life of the dump. He said it would also give garbage an economical value.

"The Bekasi administration spends Rp 8 billion per year managing garbage, with Rp 3.5 billion spent on the Sumur Batu dump alone," he added.

Abdul said the administration planned to familiarize the public with the project.

He said the administration would also involve neighborhood unit heads and other prominent figures in efforts to secure the area. (tif)