Waste management is still a problematic issue in Indonesia to this day, of course it will have a negative impact on the surrounding environment if it is not properly utilized and processed. Public awareness of waste management and how to handle it plays an important role in realizing sustainability, especially the introduction of education on reduce, reuse and recycle (3R) needs to be instilled from an early age. Therefore, the Ministry of Environment (KLH) in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Kemediktisaintek) and the Ministry of Elementary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen), launched the Asta Kampus and School National Waste Care Action 2025 program as a strategic step to realize Clean Indonesia.
This activity was held at Universitas Lambung Mangkurat (ULM) Banjarmasin, Saturday (3/15), eight campuses were present as participants to take part in the action online. The eight universities are Universitas Lambung Mangkurat, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Universitas Hasanuddin, Universitas Cenderawasih, Universitas Brawijaya, Universitas Pattimura, Universitas Udayana, and Universitas Nusa Cendana. In addition, 56 elementary and secondary schools also supported and participated in the movement entitled “National Participation, Campuses and Schools United for a Clean Environment”.
The launch of the Asta Campus and School National Waste Care Action 2025 program was opened by the Minister of Environment and Head of the Environmental Control Agency (KLH/BPLH), Dr. Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, together with Wamediktisaintek, Fauzan and Wamendikdasmen, Atip Latipulhayat. Minister of Environment Dr. Hanif said that this campaign was held to commemorate National Waste Care Day (HPSN) as well as to mark the national commitment to waste management in the educational environment and environmental sustainability from an early age, as well as being a moment of reflection on the waste management system starting from zero waste activity efforts, maximizing waste recycling, to developing appropriate technology. Hanif emphasized that currently Indonesia produces 56.63 million tons of waste per year, in which the 60.99% is still not managed properly.
According to him, the composition of food waste still dominates by touching 39.87%, followed by plastic waste (19.16%), wood/twigs (11.83%), and paper/cardboard (10.83%). Most of this waste comes from household waste (50.78%), markets (12.19%), business areas (14.77%), and other areas (8.14%). “Plastic waste and food waste are the biggest contributors, so it is necessary to increase the application of the 3R principle to overcome this problem more effectively and sustainably. Waste will always be produced in the process of human activities, so that the waste we produce is our shared responsibility,” he said.
Universitas Brawijaya (UB) as a university that has long launched the Green Campus campaign strongly supports this activity where students or pupils must have awareness about environmental cleanliness, especially starting from waste management. Even to create a comfortable, safe and clean campus atmosphere, not only waste management as environmental revitalization but also the management of green open spaces and the utilization of flood control infrastructure such as infiltration wells have been campus priorities so far. At the Asta Kampus event at UB, Vice Rector III for Student Affairs, Dr. Setiawan Noerdajasakti, SH, MH gave vest to each representative of the faculty and school as a symbol of appreciation for students and pupils who have contributed in realizing a clean environment as part of the campaign in the world of education. [UB PR/ Trans. Iir]
