High Plastic Consumption Of The Republic Of Indonesia, Industry Players Asked To Implement Economic Circulation

Director of Chemical Downstream and Pharmacy Industry of the Ministry of Industry Saiful Bahri. (Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) said that plastic consumption in Indonesia reached 22.5 kg per capita throughout 2022.

Director of Kimia Hilir and Pharmacy Industry of the Ministry of Industry, Saiful Bahri, said the high consumption of national plastic was in line with the increase in other industries.

Saiful assessed that basically human life now cannot be separated from plastic. The reason is, the entire structure of life must use plastic.

For example, the existence of plastic is very crucial for packaging goods to food to keep it hygienic.

"Indonesian plastic product consumption per capita in 2022 will reach 22.5 kg. This is relatively very low compared to other Asean countries," said Saiful at the Plastics & Rubber Indonesia 2023 event at JIExpo Kemayoran, Jakarta, Wednesday, November 15.

"In addition, the existence of the domestic petrochemical industry, the domestic food and beverage industry has also increased from year to year, as well as the prospect of the Asean market which is still high as an opportunity for the plastic industry to be very large," he added.

Along with the increasing consumption of plastic and demand for plastic-based products, the Ministry of Industry has also encouraged the industry to implement the concept of economic circulars.

There are a number of efforts made by the industrial sector related to this, one of which is by processing plastic waste to make products with high added value.

The concept is to reuse the remaining consumer or production goods.

"The plastic industry is an inseparable part of the concept of economic circulars in the management of national plastic waste," he said.

Furthermore, Saiful assessed that this could create people's welfare. "We hope that this plastic industry will implement the economic circular. The resources in the form of plastic can be utilized in an economic circle, and can be used continuously so that in the end it does not pollute the surrounding environment," he concluded.