Pemprov DKI Banned The Use Of Single-Use Plastics On July 1

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - All traditional markets in Jakarta are required to be free of single-use plastic bags starting July 1. Merchants selling single-use plastic bags will also be banned.

PD Pasar Jaya Business and Development Director Anugrah Esa stated that all market heads managed by DKI are currently being asked to make an inventory of plastic sellers. Management in 147 markets also reminded single-use plastic traders to switch their merchandise.

"Before July 1, we have to think about it, don't add more stock. We have to change the sale to selling plastic bags that are environmentally friendly," Anugrah said in Jakarta, Thursday, January 31.

If traders are not carried out, they will be sanctioned in accordance with Governor Regulation Number 142 of 2019 concerning the Obligation to Use Environmentally Friendly Shopping Bags.

Business actors will receive a written warning for the first sanction. This written reprimand was carried out three times. When they do not comply with the third written warning letter, within 3x24 hours, they will be issued, the business manager will be subject to forced money. The forced money was imposed gradually, starting from Rp. 5 million to Rp. 25 million.

Furthermore, if the business actor has been given an administrative sanction of forced money, but within 5 weeks they still provide plastic bags, they will be subject to administrative sanctions in the form of license suspension.

Until finally, there is license revocation if the business actor still does not fulfill the payment of forced money beyond the limit of license suspension.

Anugrah hopes that all traders understand the purpose of socializing the ban on single-use plastic bags. It is hoped that in July no one will trade or use this environmentally unfriendly plastic.

"But, we hope there will be no sanctions. We hope that July 1 will run well if all supports, because this will have more effects in the future," he said.

This policy was set by the DKI Provincial Government for the emergence of awareness that many people are still indifferent to using single-use plastic waste. Based on data, 14 percent of waste in Jakarta is single-use plastic.

Head of the DKI Environmental Service, Andono Warih, said that market managers and shopping centers are obliged to carry out socialization and official notification of this policy to all business actors conducting business in the community market environment they manage.

In addition, business actors or traders are obliged not to provide single-use plastic shopping bags, implement procedures for socializing the use of environmentally friendly shopping bags to their consumers.

"Every day, traditional markets produce 600 tons of waste. If this movement is started in traditional markets, we will significantly reduce Jakarta's waste," said Andono.

However, there are incentives for managers of shopping centers, supermarkets and markets who carry out their obligations and procedures for socializing the use of environmentally friendly shopping bags. They can get regional fiscal incentives.

"Fiscal incentives are given in the form of reduction and / or local tax relief," he concluded.