green is not only a different color, these days everyone talks about green; not in US dollars green, but green as a synonym for the environment. Property developers are selling the concept of living "green" as retailers market their line of "green" products. Unless you've been living under a shell, you would at some point read or heard concerns about the environment today, so we must act ... NOW.
We can do our part by recycling. Recycling is the best and most environmentally friendly solution to waste management.
According to the Agency for Public Works, Jakarta households produce about 6,000 tons of waste daily, including environmentalists estimate that 60 percent can actually be recycled. Educating communities and engage in recycling would help make the city more respectful of the environment.
Congratulations to the shopping centers and office buildings for their role. A shopping center I attend provides umbrella trash bins for buyers to separate their waste - plastic, paper, cans. While it is a great initiative, I noticed that janitors always empty the contents of the three compartments in a giant green bin (yes, I am free to observe that you should join me in a moment), mix garbage in the process, so I do not know why they bothered with multi-compartment bins in the first place.
Households can turn their waste into cash using their recyclables to drop points or directly to recycling centers. Financial returns may be small, but environmental returns could be enormous. If we think that a stack of newspapers or plastic bottles is not worth the time or effort, then we should at least make an effort to separate our waste so that those collecting it can best be treated.
Although there are a handful of recycling centers to purchase common recyclables such as plastic, paper and metals, it can not be said for e-waste; a term used to describe the old, damaged or outdated appliances.
In addition to the electronic waste driven by domestic consumption, Indonesia is also a "dumping site" for old electronics. electronic occasion sometimes come in the form of "donations" of developed countries. In some cases, however, which was designed as a gift used immediately becomes undesirable because most old electronics into the country were already outdated and are no longer useful.
Used batteries are a form of e-waste, too. While households or caretakers sort their garbage into recyclables and non-recyclables, some recyclable items such as used batteries are unfortunately thrown into the non-recyclable piles as no recycling center currently offers money for them. Batteries can be a life saver and a great convenience for our phones and gadgets, but improper handling of batteries can have devastating effects on the environment. If not disposed properly, electronic waste in environmental systems rapidly degrades the air, soil and water conditions, causing the flow of negative effects on local ecosystems.
Exposure to chemicals from e-waste - including lead and mercury can damage the brain, affects the kidneys and liver, and cause birth defects. People can be exposed by industrial activities, as well as in daily life by the consumption of drinking water and contaminated food and by direct contact. Therefore, recycling of electronic waste is the only way to prevent these toxic materials that affect human health and the environment.
While some are aware of the dangers of electronic waste, many are still dispose of their used batteries in the bin, knowing he will eventually contaminate the environment somewhere, but not much can be done about it because there was no special recycling center for such wastes.
electronic waste management is a new thing in Indonesia and people have spoken recently. Experts pointed out that the lack of regulation hindering the country's efforts to manage electronic waste. As now concerns most e-waste is dumped in landfill sites managed by private waste management companies.
A good way to manage e-waste would be separated from other waste and return it to manufacturers. However, most manufacturers are reluctant to manage their e-waste because it costs a lot of money and more and there is no binding regulation -. That's why we need a legal and governmental pressure to make it mandatory for them
The good news is that the Ministry of Environment is preparing regulations on extended producer responsibility, which require electronics companies to be responsible for the collection and recycling of electronic waste. In addition, there are plans to eventually open electronic waste recycling facilities on site in the future.
It is important that we change our habits and start recycling today. For starters, we could bring our own supermarket bag, use reusable bottles and bringing our own containers when we order a take-out. Recycling not only saves energy, preserves natural resources of the earth and reduces pollution. A Coca-Cola can and Energizer battery at a time, we can make a difference and save the planet earth.
Cash for Your Trash
| Logs | Rp.700 per kg |
| Books and Magazines | Rp.700 - Rp.1,150 kg |
| cardboard boxes | Rp.1,500 - Rp.2,000 kg |
| paper files | Rp.1,200- Rp.1,500 kg |
| glass bottles | Rp.750-Rp.900 per kg |
| water plastic bottles | Rp.2,700 kg |
| plastic detergent bottles | Rp. 4,000 per kg |
| plastic bags and straws | Rp.500 per kg |
| Aluminium and other metals | Rp.9,000 per kg |