Palembang City Government Encourages Residents To Manage Waste As A Source Of Income

Illustration of waste management. (Shutterstock)

JAKARTA - The Palembang City Government, South Sumatra, continues to encourage people to take advantage of waste that has been an environmental problem, so that it can be processed into economic-valued products.

Deputy Mayor of Palembang, Prima Salam, said that his party invited residents to start developing waste recycling-based businesses. The goal is not only to reduce waste, but also as an opportunity to increase income.

"Through waste processing, we want to create added value for the community. Recycling can be a productive solution," said Prima Salam in Palembang, as quoted by ANTARA.

He explained that the volume of waste generated from household activities, markets, offices, and economic activity centers in Palembang currently reaches more than 1,000 tons per day.

According to him, if a portion of this amount can be reused through a recycling process by residents, it will greatly help reduce the burden on the cleaning staff and extend the life of the Final Disposal Site (TPA).

"This garbage problem is not only the responsibility of the government, but all elements of society must play a role," he said.

This collective effort to develop waste management-based businesses is considered capable of reducing waste piles, creating a healthier environment, and at the same time opening up new economic opportunities for residents.

He advised the community to form a waste management group in their respective neighborhoods. With 107 urban villages in 18 sub-districts in Palembang, the potential for recycling groups is very large.

These groups will later receive guidance from the city government, including training on how to sort, process, and convert waste into high-sale value goods.

Prima also revealed that people's interest in recycling activities is increasing. According to him, this needs to be followed up by expanding the coaching program so that more and more residents are encouraged to contribute.

He added that waste management facilities based on the 3R concept (reduce, reuse, recycle) which currently exist in several urban villages need to continue to be expanded. By increasing these facilities, the accumulation of waste in the TPA can be significantly suppressed.

"We want the integrated waste processing site to be reproduced, so that the recycling process can be carried out from the village level," he concluded.