DPR: The Utilization of Waste Wood from Disasters Must Be Managed by the State, Not for the People

Wood waste that was carried away by the flood in Tapanuli, Sumatra (Antara)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives Alex Indra Lukman responded to the large number of public discussions regarding the use of logs that were swept away by floods and landslides in a number of areas in Sumatra, especially in Padang, West Sumatra. According to Alex, the use of residual disaster wood should not be allowed to take place without clear management because it has been regulated in law and is the responsibility of the government.

"Today we see residents making wood of various sizes and types as economically valuable goods such as boards and the like. This cannot be allowed to continue, because its handling must refer to Law Number 18 of 2008 concerning Waste Management," Alex told reporters, Tuesday (16/12).

The issue of the utilization of logwood surfaced after a video and upload on social media circulated showing the activities of residents cutting and processing residual wood for recovery needs. The wood is used to rebuild residents' houses damaged by floods and landslides.

Alex explained that waste arising from disasters is included in the category of *specific waste* as regulated in Article 2 Paragraph (4) of the Waste Management Law. In addition to waste due to disasters, the specific waste category also includes waste containing hazardous and toxic materials (B3), B3 waste, building demolition debris, waste that cannot be processed technologically, and waste that arises irregularly.

"Referring to the law, specific waste requires special handling due to its characteristics, volume, and impact. Handling it cannot be done normatively, but requires a methodology according to certain situations and conditions," he explained.

Alex added, Government Regulation (PP) Number 27 of 2020 as a derivative rule of the Waste Management Law provides room for the central and regional governments to utilize waste from disasters for economically valuable activities.

"Article 4 of PP Number 27 of 2020 states that the implementation of specific waste management is carried out through reduction and/or handling. The reuse of specific waste is part of the reduction strategy," he explained.

The PDI Perjuangan legislator from the West Sumatra I Electoral District assessed that the remaining wood from the disaster has the potential to be managed to increase regional income, especially in the midst of fiscal constraints after the disaster.

"In the midst of limited local fiscal capacity, the existence of these woods can at least help meet various urgent needs in handling the impact of disasters," he said.

Alex also suggested that local governments use third-party services to clean up the wood pile, given that its presence has disrupted the activities of fishermen who want to go to sea.

"Cleaning must be done quickly and coordinated. In 2019, West Sumatra already had experience handling specific waste in the form of building debris after the 2009 earthquake," he said.

English:

According to Alex, as with building debris, residual wood from disasters has a high economic value and many enthusiasts, especially the quality of the wood is still very good.

"Of course there are many enthusiasts. The quality of the wood also looks good, so it has high economic value. However, all of this must be managed by the state so that it is legal and does not cause new problems," he concluded.