PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - The Regional Secretary of West Java Province, Herman Suryatman, conducted monitoring and evaluation (monev) at two Temporary Disposal Sites (TPS) in Bandung City.

Herman conducted the monitoring and evaluation with the Acting Regional Secretary of Bandung City to the Antapani TPS and Gedebage TPS, Saturday (10/19/2024). This was done in an effort to monitor the condition of waste management in Bandung City.

"Bandung City is the largest contributor of waste sent to TPPAS Sarimukti, one day even 170 and today it has reached 185 trips from Bandung City," said Herman.

"We hope that our commitment can be reduced to 140 rit, so it must be reduced quite significantly, approximately 45 rit. And I am sure it can be done," he said.

Based on monitoring results at the Antapani TPS, Herman explained that there needs to be an additional gibrik machine to accommodate the waste coming from 26 Community Associations (RW) to the Antapani TPS.

He explained that out of 26 RW, only 13 RW can be managed by the gibrik machine so that 4 tons of organic waste can be managed properly.

"For low value waste, scrap and residue waste, out of 4 tons, only 1 ton is disposed of in Sarimukti, which is residual waste, but from the other 13 RWs, it has not been managed at all," he said.

"If we add a gibrik machine, on the other hand upstream also (implement) zero food waste, then the waste can be managed independently at the Antapani TPS, which can be sent to Sarimukti by one and a half trips," he explained.

In addition, regarding the monitoring results of the Gedebage TPS, Herman revealed that the condition of the TPS was far from expectations due to errors in waste management.

"The Bandung City Regional Secretary and his staff will immediately take steps, in the next week the management will be improved so that it can be one door. God willing, it will help waste management to be better," he said.

Herman explained that the Bandung City Government had taken concrete steps, but the main key to the problem was waste management upstream, namely the people of Bandung City.

"To the residents of Bandung, please respond, please work together with the Bandung City Government to make Zero Food Waste a success, no food waste from home. Hopefully it starts from home," he said.

Herman explained that the basic principle of waste management from upstream is to reduce, utilize and recycle waste, this will have an impact on the downstream which will reduce the waste load.

"Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, God willing, half of it will be finished. If Zero Food Waste is successful, then the waste that will go to Sarimukti will be reduced by half," he said.

"We hope this starts from Bandung City, a warning signal for Bandung City residents. Today there has been no reduction in trips to Sarimukti from Bandung City," he said.

Herman explained that if there is a reduction in waste flow to the Sarimukti TPPAS from Bandung City, it will extend the service life of Sarimukti until 2025.

"If not, there will be a waste explosion at the end of 2024 and we agree that there should not be a waste explosion," he said.

Of course, the West Java Provincial Government and the Bandung City Government have prepared short-term solutions and there needs to be further study for medium-term solutions related to this matter.

However, Herman explained that the creative solution is to position waste as something that can be utilized by managing it to generate income.

"For the execution, we are cooperating between the West Java Provincial Government and the Bandung City Government. Upstream is the responsibility of the Bandung City Government, please educate the public," he said.

"For the TPS, we will share, at least whatever the needs are, some will come from the West Java Provincial Government and some from the Bandung City Government," he said.