Palembang Echoes Clean Environment Movement, Every Village Must Have A Waste Bank

Palembang Echoes Clean Environment Movement, Every Village Must Have A Waste Bank (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Waste banks are now not only seen as a place to collect and save waste, but have developed into environmental education centers, community empowerment, to recycling-based local economic drivers.

This concept invites the public to be more concerned about environmental cleanliness while creating economic value from waste that is well managed.

The Mayor of Palembang, South Sumatra, Ratu Dewa, emphasized his commitment to strengthen the role of the waste bank as the frontline in environmental management. He requires each sub-district in 18 sub-districts to have at least one active waste bank unit as an effort to reduce waste volume and strengthen the role of residents.

"The issue of garbage cannot only be borne by the government. There must be the participation of all elements of society," said Ratu Dewa in Palembang, as quoted by ANTARA.

He explained that solutions to the waste problem needed to be mobilized collaboratively. For this reason, the Palembang City Government launched the One Waste Bank Village initiative as a strategy to expand community participation-based management.

The program is designed to encourage the implementation of the circular economy at the local level, as well as instill awareness that good managed waste can be a source of income.

The waste bank is a tangible manifestation of a clean culture as well as a driving force for a green economy. We hope, while waiting for the construction of a Waste Power Plant (PLTS) in the Keramasan area, the community can start actively sorting and distributing the waste to the waste bank," he said.

Ratu Dewa added that the active role of citizens will make waste management more effective. He hopes that waste banks can function as information centers, education, and community empowerment in the field of environmental management.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Palembang City Environment Agency, Mustain, revealed that the amount of waste produced every day reached around 1,240 tons, most of which came from households.

By encouraging community participation through waste banks, it is hoped that the burden on the final disposal site can be reduced, and the city environment will be cleaner and healthier in a sustainable manner.