IDAA Warmadewanthi ST MT Ph.D., an expert in the field of Solid Waste Treatment from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS)

ITS Campus, ITS News –The Surabaya City Government (Pemkot) officially stipulates the implementation of regulations regarding the ban on the use of plastic bags in the city of Surabaya as of April 9, 2022 tomorrow. Easy to obtain and commonly used by the community, single-use plastic waste does cause many environmental pollutions that must be managed immediately.

Experts in solid waste treatment from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) IDAA Warmadewanthi ST MT Ph.D. stated that plastic waste is hazardous to the environment because it is difficult to decompose. The lecturer, known as Warma, reminded us that it could break up components of plastic waste into microplastics or nano plastics which can affect the quality of clean water.

Continued Warma, based on research conducted by ITS with the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) Japan, plastic waste entering water bodies from 2020 to 2021 has almost reached 32 percent. “The composition of single-use plastic waste is the highest compared to other types of plastic waste,” said the lecturer at the Environmental Engineering Department.

According to him, although Surabaya is known as the best city in waste management, the waste collection system in Surabaya has not yet reached 100 percent. This causes waste to be scattered and allows debris to enter water bodies. Pollution becomes more severe when plastic waste comes downstream, especially the river and beach borders because it can potentially cause the death of mangroves and the biota that live there.

Crackle bag is a type of single-use plastic waste (Source: Bukalapak.com)

Warma explained that it could indeed be recycled plastic waste. However, single-use plastic has a tiny percentage of utilization. It makes single-use plastic waste unsold for recycling and low selling prices. “Single-use plastic waste, such as plastic bags, can hardly be reused, even though there are many of them,” said Warma, concerned.

Therefore, lecturers who have completed their doctorate National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST). This opinion considers that the policy of reducing the use of plastic bags in Surabaya can be an effective tool to reduce the impact of single-use plastic waste pollution. Although undeniable, many other supporting methods exist, such as waste banks and community outreach to recycle.

The existing condition of waste in Surabaya in terms of the available Temporary Shelters (TPS)

She emphasized that the effectiveness of the regulation will be by its implementation. This policy must be accompanied by strict monitoring and enforcement of sanctions and rewards. Not to forget, Warma appealed to the public, especially the younger generation as agents of change, to participate in the campaign to reduce single-use plastic waste. “Together, we support the government by complying with these regulations,” she said. (ITS Public Relation)

Reporter: Difa Khoirunisa