Jakartans agree with plastic ban: Environment agency
Despite their dependence on plastic bags, Jakartans mostly agree with the city administration’s plan to issue a policy restricting plastic bag use, according to a survey conducted by the Jakarta Environment Agency.
“Nearly 80 percent surveyed agreed with a plastic ban and were also willing to carry their own bags [while shopping],” Waste management division head at the agency, Rahmawati, told tempo.co. on Thursday.
The survey on the public’s perception of the plastic ban was conducted door-to-door with most respondents being housewives. However, the agency did not provide details on the number of respondents surveyed.
Rahmawati said the survey was launched as part of preparations for the new gubernatorial decree on single-use plastic restrictions expected to be signed by Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan this month.
The initiative was taken following Jakarta’s constant waste woes that stand at 2.5 million tons per year. From the figure, 357,000 tons is plastic waste.
Single-use plastic bags contribute 1,900 to 2,400 tons of waste per year, which equals 300 million plastic bags.
Agency head Isnawa Adji said he had submitted the decree draft to Anies. He expressed hope that the draft could be signed as soon as possible to start the plastic ban in the city.
Anies said the draft of the decree still needed corrections. He aimed at implementing the ban while designating a substitute for plastic.
“Housewives would be troublesome if we don’t prepare the substitute [for plastic],” he said on Thursday.