Waste is a problem affecting all regions in the country, including Kuden hamlet in Piyungan district, Bantul regency.
Most of the Kuden residents are farmers and brick makers. Unfortunately, so far the residents resolve the waste problem by burning it, which causes pollution and looks dirty.
“This is because the farmers have no programme to resolve the waste problem,” said Naufal Fattah Tastian, UGM student joining a team for Student Creativity Programme UGM 2019.
The team offered a solution to the Kuden residents through worm reactors to resolve the waste problem. The team consisting of Naufal Fattah Tastian, Cahyadi Ramadhan, Najmah Munawaroh, Yustika Istifari and Rahma Aulia Zahra utilised organic waste through the worm reactor. Agricultural waste and others are made as input to the worm reactor that can produce organic fertilisers and worms.
“Using the worm reactor is very easy by throwing the organic waste into the tube reactor that is made from bamboo,” said Naufal at UGM on Friday(21/6).
He explained the decomposition process would take place in the reactor that would produce organic fertilisers and invite decomposters to get inside, including worms. These are expected to help nurture agriculture.
Naufal said the students also managed anorganic waste. The team gave anorganic waste management training on Wednesday (19/5) to the women in the hamlet by turning plastic bottles into planting media which is an alternative to polybags. They used fertilisers obtained from the worm reactor. The yields of the project can be used personally by the residents as well as to improve their economy.
The programme supervised by Prof. Dr. Suratman Worosuprojo, M.Sc is expected to sustain and become a programme of excellence of the Kuden hamlet.
“Kuden hamlet chief hoped for programme sustainability and more awareness of the environment while worm reactors can be used more optimally,” said Naufal.