Jakarta, March 9, 2022 - The government of Gresik Regency and PT Reciki Solusi Indonesia (Reciki) signed an MOU on Waste Processing and Reduction Collaboration through Integrated Waste Management Site (TPST) Sampahku Tanggung Jawabku (My Waste My Responsibility/Samtaku). Danone-AQUA, as a private party that is actively involved in the development process, was also present to witness the signing held to coincide with the celebration of the anniversary of Gresik City as well as the anniversary of the government of Gresik Regency.

Based on the data from the Indonesia National Plastic Action Partnership released in April 2020, Indonesia produces 6.8 million tons of plastic waste, and 9% of it, or about 620 thousand tons, leaks into rivers, lakes, and seas. The national waste system that has not been integrated results in unmanaged household waste, causing excessive load at landfills in various regions. Similar things are also happening in Gresik Regency, which is currently facing overload problems in the Ngipik landfill, the only landfill for the people of Gresik. Various attempts have been made by the government of the Gresik Regency to reduce and handle the waste, such as by encouraging the establishment of Waste Banks throughout villages and the creation of TPS3R (Reduce-Reuse-Recycle Waste Management Site). However, to date, the scope of waste services has only reached 30%. 

Therefore, the government of the Gresik Regency collaborates with PT Reciki Solusi Indonesia and Danone-AQUA to develop the TPST SAMTAKU built on a 3000 m² land owned by the government of Gresik Regency in Ngipik Village, Gresik Regency, East Java. In its management, this TPST will employ the community around the site as workers and provide waste collection services for 25,000 families in several regions in Gresik Regency, as well as various office, commercial, and industrial areas in the Gresik Regency. This TPST is targeted to have a waste processing capacity of up to 200 tons per day and is expected to collect 150 tons of plastic bottle waste per month.

The Regent of Gresik, Fandi Akhmad Yani, B. E greatly appreciates the initiative and collaboration. "We appreciate the waste management initiative carried out by Reciki with Danone-AQUA. There has not been a waste-handling site in Gresik to date,  so the waste still of Gresik Regency will manage waste from households and village temporary shelters. The waste will be sorted by type in TPST using the RDF technology with a target of 200 tons per day", said the Regent.

"The government of the Gresik Regency gains benefits in the form of the efficiency of DLH (Environmental Office) budget to manage waste. In addition, the waste will be managed and processed until zero waste is achieved. The investment from the Regional Budget (APBD) is realized in the form of buildings. Danone-AQUA will contribute to the procurement of machinery, while Reciki will handle the Management Technology and its operations. I hope it can be an alternative solution to the current waste problem " added the Regent.

By prioritizing the principle of Zero Waste to Landfill, TPST Samtaku will implement the (Refuse Derived Fuel) RDF technology, where the organic waste will be managed into compost, while some will be processed along with residual waste to produce fuel. Meanwhile, the sorted used plastic bottles will be sent to the factory of PT. Veolia Services Indonesia, Danone-AQUA’s recycling partner, to be reprocessed into rPET (recycled PET) material as the raw material of Danone-AQUA's new plastic bottle. This means that all waste collected in this facility will be managed and reused, and no waste will be thrown into the environment or end up in landfills.

Meanwhile, the Sustainable Development Director of Danone Indonesia, Karyanto Wibowo, explained, "TPST Samtaku Gresik is the third TPST developed by Danone - AQUA with various partners. We previously developed TPST Samtaku in Lamongan Regency, East Java and TPST Samtaku Jimbaran in Badung Regency, Bali. This initiative is developed as part of Danone-AQUA's #BijakBerplastik commitment to achieving the goal of being able to collect more plastic waste than we use and to be part of the solution to the waste problem in Indonesia. In the previous two TPSTs, namely TPST Lamongan and TPST Jimbaran, we have managed to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in the landfill by 70%.”

"TPST Samtaku Gresik will also be equipped with educational facilities as a means of disseminating knowledge related to waste management to the community. Infrastructure development is also accompanied by the dissemination of information regarding TPST utilization and waste management education to the community in the Gresik Sub-district; Waste Banks; and collector partners in Gresik Sub-district. In addition, to ensure that the younger generation understands waste management from an early age, ToT (Training of Trainers) of Sampahku Tanggung Jawabku will be held in schools,” added Karyanto.

Since 1993, Danone-AQUA, as a leading producer of bottled drinking water (AMDK) in Indonesia, has been a pioneer in collecting and recycling post-consumer plastic bottles by developing the AQUA Peduli Program. In 2018, Danone-AQUA strengthened such commitment by launching the #Bijakberplastik movement, which focuses on three key pillars: Collection, Education, and Innovation. Through the #BijakBerplastik movement, Danone-AQUA is determined to realize the implementation of circular economy in Indonesia. Through 6 recycling business units spread across Indonesia and the development of TPST, Waste Banks, and Collection Centers, to date, Danone-AQUA has managed to collect up to 13,000 tons of post-consumer plastic packaging annually while empowering 10,000 collectors.  Such actions are carried out to support the government in achieving the target of reducing waste that leaks to the sea by 70% in 2025.