BANDA ACEH - The Environment Service (DLH) of East Aceh Regency recorded that the volume of waste generated by the community reached around 1,200 tons per day after the flood disaster that hit a number of sub-districts in the area.
Head of Waste Management, Waste B3, and Capacity Improvement at the East Aceh Regency DLH Zulfikar said that waste production in East Aceh increased drastically compared to normal conditions before the flood.
"This surge in waste production is triggered by community activities such as cleaning houses, public facilities, and residential areas from flood materials," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, December 23.
Zulfikar said that the flood material waste included mud, wood, damaged household furniture, plastic, and the remains of collapsed buildings swept away by the flood.
"People simultaneously cleaned their houses and neighborhoods after the flood. This activity has an impact on increasing the volume of waste, reaching 1,200 tons per day. If in a normal condition, waste production ranges from 40 to 50 tons per day," he said.
According to him, this volume is far above the average daily waste production in normal conditions in East Aceh Regency. This condition is a big challenge for the local government, especially the DLH.
The challenge, he said, is in handling and transporting garbage so that it does not cause subsequent impacts, such as environmental pollution, unpleasant odors, and the potential for disease spread.
"The East Aceh Regency DLH deployed all the available garbage transport fleet, including adding the operational hours of sanitation officers in the field," he said.
Zulfikar said his party also coordinated across sectors with the sub-district, gampong, and volunteer governments to accelerate the process of transporting and handling post-flood waste.
"We are optimizing all the existing fleets and personnel. However, with such a large amount of garbage, it certainly takes time and support from all parties. Therefore, we invite the public to sort garbage from home, especially between organic, non-organic, and hazardous materials," said Zulfikar.
He added that post-flood waste management not only focuses on transportation to landfills (TPA), but also on the management of potential B3 waste, such as electronic waste, batteries, and household chemicals that are damaged due to being submerged in water.
"Floods have indeed receded in some areas, but the big job now is to ensure that the environment is clean and healthy. Waste management is the key to preventing new post-disaster problems," said Zulfikar.
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