Mothers Support Movement 'Return Our Blue Sky; Push For Sulawesi High Fuel Termination For Children's Health

Photo: Doc. Talk Air

JAKARTA - After successfully removing lead from gasoline two decades ago, Indonesia is now facing a new challenge: the surge in air pollution due to sulfur in fuel. According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the number of motorized vehicles increased dramatically from 4.4 million units in 2006 to more than 148 million in 2022, causing exposure to sulfur dioxide (SO2) which is increasingly widespread and dangerous for public health.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), high sulfur-grade fuel produces toxic gases that exacerbate asthma, bronchitis, heart disease, and other respiratory problems, which are harmful to the health of children. But until now, the transition to low sulfur fuel has not become a national priority.

For this reason, Air Talks, in line with the Clean Air Alliance consisting of the Committee for the Elimination of Pambal Gasoline (KPBB) and communities and the public who care about clean air, support the campaign Grade to Restore Our Blue Sky in Dukuh Atas to the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout, Jakarta, on Sunday, July 6. This campaign is in the form of parades with calls to improve fuel quality by stopping the use of high-sulfur fuel and restoring clean air for all.

Cynthia Andarinie, a mother who is also a Blue Voices Ambassador spokesperson (Clean Air Ambassador who supports Air Talk programs) said the public should not continue to rely on tools such as purifiers andappropriates. What is needed now is systemic changes through the use of cleaner fuel, bluer sky, and real partiality to public health.

"As mothers, I don't want all of us to be forced to breathe polluting air and our children can get sick from the very poor air quality, just because the government failed to regulate the quality of fuel, we spoke together demanding the government immediately ratify and improve the better quality of fuel in accordance with Euro 4 standards," he said.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Safrudin, Executive Director of KPBB, stated that currently Indonesia is lagging behind neighboring countries in implementing clean fuel standards.

Negara seperti Filipina, Thailand, dan Vietnam sudah menggunakan BBM dengan kadar sulfur di bawah 50 ppm. Sementara di Indonesia, angka sulfur masih bisa mencapai ribuan ppm. Ini adalah bentuk keidakan lingkungan yang nyata, tegasnya.

"This campaign is an effort to encourage political courage and reform of healthier and fairer energy policy, especially shifting from importing dirty fuel to clean fuel in the near future", he added.

Apart from activists and academics, this campaign also involves public voices and communities that are directly affected. They carry posters containing important messages that are packaged attractively, for example: "Children are short of breath due to toxic fuel, black exhaust smoke makes the skin dull."

Through this movement, the public is invited to oversee the clean fuel policy and encourage the government to immediately implement it. Because the blue sky is not just nostalgia, but the future for future generations.