Luhut: Waste to Energy Not Harmful

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Marine Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan affirmed the concept of waste processing into energy (waste to energy) is not dangerous as claimed by environmentalists.

Luhut at the National Conference "Waste to Energy" in Jakarta on Monday (12/09/2017) said during a visit to Stockholm last June, he visited a green area near Stockholm where the "waste to energy" facility did not interfere with the ecosystem there.

"There is no black smoke from the installation, and there is absolutely no smoke, no smell and there is only the curiosity of our delegation how the facility operates," he said.

According to the former Coordinating Minister for Political, Political and Security Affairs, the visit to the "waste to energy" facility is based on claims in Indonesia that the concept of waste processing into energy is harmful to health and contradictory to the Stockholm Convention 1972.

The claim has even been filed in a lawsuit against Presidential Regulation No. 18 of 2016 on the Acceleration of Development of PLTSa in seven cities by 15 individuals as well as six NGOs to the Supreme Court. On 2 November 2016, this Presidential Regulation has been canceled because it is considered contrary to the higher regulation of Law No.32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management, Law no. 36 Year 2009 on Health, and Law No.12 Year 2011 on the Establishment of Legislation.

"How can the Swedish government in Stockholm build facilities in Indonesia considered to be against the Stockholm Convention?" he said.

Furthermore, during the visit Luhut admitted to know that "waste to energy" is very efficient and multifunctional because it reduces waste while producing energy.

"'Waste to energy' is not harmful to health and is widely used in Sweden and other Nordic countries," he said.

On the same occasion, Deputy of Maritime Sovereignty Kemenko Kemaritiman Arif Havas Oegroseno explains incinerator technology (burning waste in the form of combustion) even applied in the Nordic country is known to be very environmentally friendly.

"The technology is all incinerators, and the Nordic country that is very environmentally friendly also uses it, I do not understand why it is considered harmful to health," he said.

He added that the Stockholm Convention used as the basis for the lawsuit of environmental activists was also produced in Sweden, which adopted the most hospitable waste treatment technology.

"Stockholm Convension was born there (Sweden) and there is 'waste to energy' in the middle of town," he said.

The "Waste to Energy" National Conference was held in partnership with the Kemenko Kemaritiman, the Swedish Embassy, ​​the Danish Embassy, ​​the Embassy of Finland and the Norwegian Embassy in Indonesia.

The goal is to gather information and share experiences on waste processing into energy with stakeholders in Indonesia.