"Gentengisasi" Project will Use Fly Ash, Asaki: New Opportunities for Industrial Actors

Chairman of Asaki Edy Suyanto. (Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI)

JAKARTA - The government plans to utilize coal waste in the form of fly ash in the gentrification project or replacement of zinc into tiles.

The Association of Various Ceramic Industries of Indonesia (Asaki) stated that the domestic tile industry has never used fly ash as a raw material for its production.

Asaki Chairman Edy Suyanto said that the main raw materials used by industrial actors so far are still clay.

For this reason, the use of fly ash is a new opportunity for industrial players.

"Until now, we are still using clay material raw materials. For what was conveyed earlier, we have not tried to do research. However, I believe it is an opportunity," said Edy when met by reporters after the inauguration of the Board of Directors of the Indonesian Ceramic Industry Association (Asaki) Period 2026-2029 at the Ministry of Industry office, Jakarta, Monday, February 3.

According to Edy, the utilization of fly ash has never been tested in the process of producing tiles in the Asaki member environment. Therefore, the industry still needs to conduct research before actually adopting it.

"So, we only need samples, examples for us to do research in our R&D research laboratory. Hopefully it can be used," he said.

If the results of laboratory tests show that the material is technically and quality-wise feasible, said Edy, his party does not rule out the possibility of cooperating in its provision.

"Yes, as long as we are testing and we do research tests, it can be used, of course, we will be happy to use it as well," he added.

Previously, President Prabowo Subianto wanted a national movement to replace zinc roofs with clay-based tiles or "gentengization" as part of efforts to beautify the face of Indonesia.

When opening the National Coordination Meeting (Rakornas) of the Central and Regional Governments in Sentul, Bogor, Monday, February 2, Prabowo said that the use of zinc roofs still dominates houses in Indonesia.

According to him, this not only makes the environment look less beautiful, but also has an impact on the comfort of home residents because they tend to be hot and easy to rust.

"So later this movement, this project is a project to gentrify the whole of Indonesia," said Prabowo as seen on the President's Secretariat YouTube, Tuesday, February 3.

The idea of the national gentengization project will involve the Red and White Village/Neighborhood Cooperative (KDMP) as the spearhead of production.

Later, the cooperative will be equipped with a local scale tile factory, whose equipment is relatively affordable.

In addition, the raw materials used are also easy to obtain, because they come from the ground that can be mixed with other materials to be lighter and stronger.

"So, later we will equip the Red and White Cooperative with a tile factory. The tile is made from soil and mixed with several other waste substances, it can be light and strong," he said.

"I have received reports from professors that waste from coal, yes, ash is mixed with soil (is) a good roofing material," he added.