Waste management is a pressing concern in Indonesia, with the challenge escalating as landfills reach their maximum capacities in various regions. One such example is the situation at the Piyungan Landfill in Bantul, Yogyakarta, which has surpassed its limit.
Responding to this, the Yogyakarta Provincial Government has mandated the closure of the Piyungan Landfill by Mar. 5, 2024. Moving forward, each district/city is tasked with independently managing waste.
Suci Lestari Yuana, a circular economy researcher at UGM, emphasizes the necessity of an integrated approach involving multiple stakeholders to tackle the country’s waste issue, including the Yogyakarta region.
Communities play a pivotal role in waste management, prompting her and her team at the UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences to spearhead circular economy schools to raise public awareness.
“Incorporating circular economy practices into our daily routines is crucial to address this challenge, viewing waste as a reusable resource and potential source of income,” remarked the UGM lecturer and researcher at the UGM Center for World Trade Studies on Thursday (Mar. 7).
In their research, Yuana and her team studied how 68 schools across Indonesia, part of the circular economy schools initiative, embraced the 5R principles (rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle) within their premises.
The Circular Economy Schools were established in 2021, spanning regions like North Sumatra, Lampung, Jakarta, West Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, Bali, and North Kalimantan.
Elaborating on the 5R practices, she highlighted the pivotal role of schools as catalysts for change. Integrating the 5R concept into the curriculum and daily activities shapes students’ mindsets and nurtures a generation committed to environmental stewardship.
Schools possess immense potential to instill sustainable behavior by teaching about waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. They serve as educational hubs for students and the wider community.
Moreover, Yuana emphasized the government’s vital role in supporting 5R practices within educational institutions. Government initiatives like the Indonesia Green Principal Awards (IGPA) have spurred sustainable practices in schools. However, there’s a need for increased participation, particularly in Yogyakarta.
Hence, government intervention through policies offering incentives such as special funds, awards, or technical assistance to schools actively engaged in circular practices is imperative.
“Such policies can foster an environment where schools in Yogyakarta actively embrace sustainable practices,” she concluded.
Author: Ika