ADVANCING SELF-RELIANT AND RESILIENT IN SOLID WASTE MANEGEMENT IN GOWA, SOUTH SULAWESI

Written By Transformasi Category Uncategorised

As with other Transformasi programs, the Waste Management Program in Gowa is designed to increase the capacity and independence of relevant stakeholders in identifying problems, making plans, providing a legal umbrella, and implementing effective solutions according to the challenges. An initiative is not an instant solution but is the beginning of an effort to solve development problems. The effort's consistency and sustainability must be ensured for the issues to be overcome. The existence of a clear legal umbrella will ensure the sustainability of the program initiated.

Legal Certainty To Ensure Program Sustainability
At the local level, Gowa Regent Regulation (red: PerBup) No.22 of 2019 has become the legal basis for the formation of Technical Implementation Unit – Central Waste Bank (red: UPT BSI) in Gowa. Thanks to this PerBup, now (October 2020) UPT BSI in Gowa has been operating and plays an essential role in preventing plastic (inorganic) waste from entering the sea ​​and the intermediate/final landfill. The initial MWRP target to intervene the waste management policy at the local government level has been transcended with the issuance of national-level policy by the Minister of Home Affairs Circular No. 197/4726 / SJ regarding the urgency of waste management following Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 97 of 2017 that calls for the formulation of Regional Policy and Strategy (Jakstrada) document in waste management. Not all regions in Indonesia have Jakstrada, although it is already mandated by Presidential Regulation 97/2017. Therefore, the Minister of Home Affairs Circular is very strategic because it can impose "coercion" on the Regional Government in compiling and implementing Jakstrada waste management into their development plan.

 

Multi-Sector Synergy in Waste Management
UPT BSI Gowa is the first government-owned waste bank in Indonesia that stands at the district level and is specifically dedicated to assisting inorganic waste management. The establishment of UPT BSI in Gowa is also an effort to help the Environmental Agency (DLH) role in managing inorganic waste. So far, DLH has a hefty burden in waste management, since DLH acts as both regulator and operator. Under the coordination of the DLH, UPT BSI Gowa can play a role as a waste management operator, especially in the management of inorganic waste. This system is expected to ease and further optimize waste management efforts in Gowa Regency.

In its operation, the UPT-BSI is the “Backbone” of the waste banks a the community level that puts forward three main aspects, namely environmental, social, and economical. In the early stages, toattract the public’s interest, the waste bank program was introduced through an economic approach that allows stay-at-home mothers to earn additional income, as well as to change the community’s paradigm towards the waste that previously considered worthless. However, for people who already have a proper understanding of the waste bank program, becoming a waste bank customer is a commitment to environmental sustainability and social closeness, as shown by Ms. Najmiati who volunteers as a customer in a waste bank in Somba Opu Subdistrict. Ms. Najmimiati even permitted the surrounding community members to use her house garage as an area for storing segregated inorganic waste before the UPT-BSI officers come to pick it up.

Ms. Najmiati revealed that her neighborhood residents' motivation to participate in inorganic waste handling became stronger with the local government's involvement, primarily through the existence of the UPT-BSI that directly collects and buys the waste from community waste banks. Visits to the residential area can also be a meaningful medium for UPT-BSI as government representatives to interact with the community and find out about the challenges faced by the waste bank program, so that the government can more quickly identify challenges and provide solutions to concerned issues.

UPT BSI and community waste banks' synergy is expected to reduce waste generation from the source and present a sustainable waste management effort in Gowa. Since the MWRP program initiation in 2019 until recently, BSU in Gowa has sent 17,833.90 kg of sorted inorganic waste to UPT-BSI. The Covid-19 outbreak has undeniably impacted the optimization of the waste management program in Gowa and particularly on the implementation of the MWRP Program at the community level. However, through strict health protocols, all parties, especially UPT-BSI, have committed to forming more waste banks at the community level, while existing community waste banks remain committed to expanding their membership in order to collect more inorganic waste.