TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Waste bank activist from Gunung Emas in Rawamangun, Vera Nofita, believes that the presence of waste banks in Indonesia still faces the same challenges, namely the lack of government monitoring and low community participation in waste management.
"There are quite a lot of waste banks in Jakarta, even in Indonesia, according to data from KLH, there are around 20,000 waste banks, and in several places that we visited, it turns out that the problem is the same," said Vera at an event held by WWF Indonesia at Artotel Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
She explained that waste banks often do not receive routine monitoring from the government, making it difficult for them to develop. "The lack of routine government monitoring on how they can become a community that can help absorb waste so that it doesn't go downstream," she said.
Vera added that waste banks, which act as waste collectors, are often treated like a cameo. "So in terms of their collecting role, it hasn't become the golden child yet, still more like a cameo. But they are at the forefront of becoming reliable educators. How to do sorting at schools, offices, green offices, green schools," she said.
She highlighted the lack of government assistance, even though there are regulations regarding waste banks. "When regulations (about waste banks) are made by the government, from the top, from KLH, to the Regional Environmental Agency, there is absolutely no assistance. We felt that in 11 years, everything is independent. Independent and indeed finding their own way, looking for their own roots," she said.
The founder of Gunung Emas Waste Bank also addressed another main issue that is actually not about waste, but rather the mindset of the community. She gave an example of trivializing small waste such as candy wrappers. "For example, if today we produce waste that is just one candy wrapper, it doesn't seem significant, but when collected it is quite a lot. So this also becomes a habit or behavioral pattern," she said.
Vera stated that Gunung Emas Waste Bank has conducted education at hundreds of schools and offices. However, long-term commitment is still low. "We have not met any schools or offices that have a 10-year commitment to become waste bank customers or manage waste in their environment. It is more ceremonial when there is a waste sorting competition. So the system is already there, but community participation is still minimal," she said.
During the recent Earth Day, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLH) mentioned the need to support sustainable waste management, including enhancing the role of waste banks.
"The Minister has issued regulations for the closing of open dumping TPS activities. This makes the role of waste banks as social engineering crucial in waste reduction," said the Director of Waste Reduction and Circular Economy Development at KLH, Agus Rusly in a written statement, cited from Antara report on April 22, 2025.
A month earlier, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLH) launched the 1 RW 1 Waste Bank program as a national strategic program. "We aim to form 83,451 new waste banks within a period of 4 years (2025-2029)," said Minister of Environment and Head of BPLH, Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, through a written statement on March 5, 2025.
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