Every ten o'clock in the morning, Wahyu pushes a wheelbarrow around the Sukadamai Green Residence housing complex. He went to eleven blue trash can points in the housing estate. One by one, he opened the trash can, then took out the organic waste from it and put it in the shovel cart. He can easily find leftovers, vegetables, fruits, and so on in the trash can.
Residents in the housing estate have become accustomed to sorting garbage since they left their homes. Organic and inorganic waste are disposed of in separate places. For organic waste, it is disposed of in blue barrels. While the others, in separate barrels. Each barrel is blue, devoted to the six houses that are in the vicinity. The total number of dwellings in the housing itself is 50 units.
After all the points he had come to and the organic waste in his cart was full, he then took it to the integrated waste treatment plant. It is located just behind the housing. The waste treatment system on the territory is designed to be integrated. It was built with the help of the Plastic Smart Cities (PSC) program.
"It's quite a lot of organic waste today," said Wahyu.
In the past, according to him, residents were not used to sorting garbage. Organic and inorganic are simply mixed in one place. As a result, garbage accumulates and often gives rise to a pungent odor.
"This is the garbage sorted first. If there are leaves, fruit skins, we separate them first. Moreover, if there is still plastic, we will separate it too," he said.
After the sorting process was carried out, he then brought a biopon box, a blue square box measuring 40x60 cm. The organic waste is then stirred, and ready to become maggot feed. Wahyu's hands were so skilled at stirring the organic waste, one by one the biopon boxes were immediately filled to the brim.
"Look at the maggots, greedy eating the organic waste. This waste will run out quickly," he said.
Maggots are larvae of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) insects. Maggot cultivation is a fairly effective alternative option for decomposing organic waste.
"Here the maggot cycle is already 35 kg," said ciliwung river naturalization task force activist Irfan Hauri Zakaria. He has since accompanied the janitors in the housing to better manage his waste.
Furthermore, Irfan said, to be able to process organic waste through maggot cultivation, the broodstock must be prepared first. Next to the waste processing plant, there is a square building made of wood with a tight mesh covered. Irfan refers to the place as the "Amorous Chamber", it is a place for BSF flies to breed.
"BSF flies after breeding will die immediately. Now before dying, the female will keep baby maggot eggs in the cracks of the woodpile," he said.
The baby maggot egg must then be stored for one week. When the maggot is an adult, only then put it in a biopon box. Each biopon box will be filled with 3kg of maggots and able to devour 2-4 kg of organic waste per day. While the volume of daily organic waste in the housing is about 40 kg.
"The maggots in the bipon continue to feed organic waste for up to 14 days. After that, our maggots harvest. But we're not here selling the maggots. The harvested maggots will be prepared for the next cycle," he said.
In addition, the harvested maggots will also be set aside 30 percent for chicken and fish feed. Next to the waste processing plant, there is a laying hen drum. From a total of ten chickens, per day it can produce 1.5 kg of eggs. For its feed needs, substituted from maggots. Not only that, in the housing there is also a fish farming pond whose feed is also part of the maggot.
"In my opinion, maggot cultivation is a fairly effective method of decomposing organic waste. Because organic waste can be eaten immediately by maggots in one day," he said.
In addition, the processing of organic waste with maggots also does not cause a pungent odor. Unlike landfills where organic waste deposits tend to be left unattended, causing unpleasant odors.
"Of course, the organic waste that enters here, will be re-sorted by the cleaners. Because there is some organic waste that is not eaten by maggots such as leaves, banana leaves, the orange peel will not be completely consumed by maggots. There will definitely be the rest. Now for the processing of that type of organic waste, we distinguish it. We can process it into compost," he explained.
In maggot cultivation, continued Irfan, it is necessary to pay attention to the level of wetness of organic waste. Because maggots tend to be reluctant to consume organic waste that is too wet. Pun do not like dry ones. Must remain stable in humidity. Therefore, if the organic waste is too wet, it will be filtered first.
"Because if you give excessive water in the biopon, this maggot will run everywhere. Sorting at the beginning is the key."
When the maggot is harvested, it will leave dirt. He is referred to as kasgot. Irfan said, kasgot can also be used as an organic fertilizer which is very useful for fertilizing plants.
"Actually, this maggot has economic value. But if it is as big as our cultivation, it is very difficult. Because our production capacity is very small. But if it is to be a solution to organic waste here, well it is very effective. Because we adjust to the amount of organic waste that is here. Maybe this can be used as a solution for other friends outside who do know the amount of organic waste volume. At the RT or RW level. So in the future, organic waste will no longer be taken to the Galuga landfill. But it's in order at the RT level processing scale with maggots," he explained.
In addition, if the production of maggots is large enough, it can also bring economic benefits. According to Irfan, in Bogor City itself, many parties are willing to buy maggots. Both fresh maggots and dried maggots.
"This maggot is actually sought after by poultry farmers. One of them is chicken. This chicken is great if it consumes maggots but should not be excessive in its consumption. Because the protein in the maggot is very high. It's not good if you consume it excessively," he said. Irfan said that the processing of organic waste through the maggot cultivation method is in line with the circular economy concept. In addition to being able to solve the waste problem, it can also bring material benefits. One kilogram of fresh maggots can usually be sold for IDR 7,000, while for dry maggots it is IDR 60 thousand.
"The average fresh maggot is taken by anglers. So the staple to make bait. In addition, it can also be given directly to farm animals such as chickens. But it was turned off first by being doused with hot water." Irfan said, if the concept of processing organic waste with maggot cultivation is applied in many places, then the problem of ordinary waste is resolved properly. "But of course, sorting is the main key so that the waste processing can be successful," he concluded.***