Bogor (17/04) The month of July became a plastic-free moment, starting from a global movement that originated from civil society in Australia. The goal is to raise awareness about the importance of reducing plastic use, as well as the impact of pollution and finding sustainable solutions.
Global plastic production reaches 380 million tons per year today, with half of it used for single-use items. Plastic waste is expected to remain on earth for decades. More than 10 million tons of plastic are estimated to enter the ocean each year.
People need to understand about the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), where producers are responsible for the plastic or packaging waste they produce. This is a form of producer involvement in the cost of environmental restoration. Thus, in addition to public awareness, there is a responsibility to be shouldered by producers as part of the effort to reduce the negative impact of single-use plastic waste.
As part of a sustainable solution to reduce the adverse impact of single-use plastic waste, the Urban Sustainability program from Rekam Nusantara and Satgas Ciliwung invites the community to separate waste by type: single-use plastic (single-layer or crackle bags), double-layer plastic, and aluminum foil, and ensure that it is clean and dry. The Ciliwung Task Force team will collect this waste and send it to TPS3R Mekarwangi.
In addition, people need to change their paradigm in managing waste, from simply throwing packaging into the trash to using packaging, sorting by type, then sending or giving it to waste processing, recycling, or Waste Bank.
The goal is to avoid leakage of waste into rivers and reduce the burden on increasingly full landfills. This movement is expected to be expanded more widely to achieve this common dream.
