Exploring Waste Management Challenges and Solutions in Villages

CLOCC is exploring which waste management challenges villages in Banyuwangi are facing in order to develop waste management plans suited to their needs.

The villages in Banyuwangi participating in CLOCC are facing different challenges related to waste management, and the solution must be targeted to the local context.

After extensive stakeholder consultations, the CLOCC team from InSWA (Indonesia Solid Waste Association) identified particular characteristics that each village faces, and categorized the villages into groups based on their challenges.

This research is an important foundation before CLOCC begins working to improve waste management not only on village level, but on Regency level.

Common challenges in villages

Based on the stakeholder consultations in the 17 villages that were interested in participating in CLOCC, their waste management challenges were categorized into four main categories: TPS 3R not functioning optimally; there is no TPS 3R; the TPS 3R is not active; and villages that are in the same watershed, or a land area that channels rainfall to water bodies flowing out into reservoirs, bays, and the ocean.

TPS 3R (Reduce, reuse, recycle) is a waste management facility placed in Indonesian communities, serving up to 400 households. The main role of the TPS 3R is sorting and processing to reduce the quantity and improve the characteristics, before the waste goes to landfill. The sorting activities separate the valuable material (plastic, paper, glass, metal), the organics and residual.

A TPS 3R must have available facilities to classify waste into minimum five types of waste (organic, non-organic, paper waste, hazardous waste, and residual waste) Ideally, the activities in the TPS 3R results in that only residue waste (around 20% of waste) will go to landfill. However, many of the CLOCC villages reported that the TPS 3R was not working.

TPS 3R not working optimally

Five of the villages were placed in this category. These villages have a TPS 3R, but due to several reasons it is not functioning optimally. Common challenges with the TPS 3R were that the facilities sorted but did not process waste. While the valuable materials are sorted and sent to recyclers, organics and residue will be burnt due to lack of human and financial resources.

No TPS 3R

For three of the villages, the main challenge was that they had no TPS 3R. In such villages, less than 50% of the waste is collected. The collected waste in most cases end up in vacant land in the community, accumulating into a dumpsite.

In local communities, the Banyuwangi Environmental Agency (DLH Banyuwangi) provides TPS 3R facilities. The villages that lack TPS 3R expressed interest in establishing one. In these villages. CLOCC will assist with capacity building on how to operate the facility and plan the needed infrastructure and how to operate it.

TPS 3R not active

Six of the villages were characterized by the fact that they had a TPS 3R, but it was not active. The reasons behind are usually lack of knowledge on how to operate it, financial constraints, lack of personnel, and infrastructure such as vehicles to collect the waste. Some of the villages reported that the TPS 3R was not operational as it was located on disputed land.

Villages in the same watershed

Banyuwangi has 35 large watersheds leading to the ocean. One watershed integrates several villages, where, unfortunately, a large proportion of their waste is disposed of. Therefore, CLOCC aims to support establishing waste management plans that are developed for villages in the same watershed.

Creating a clean Banyuwangi

The villages that attended CLOCC’s events in Banyuwangi have expressed their interest in joining the CLOCC programme. Their motivation is their eagerness to reach their vision of a clean and healthy Banyuwangi.

Many of the villages believe CLOCC can have a positive impact because the programme starts with capacity building of the government, a major stakeholder with power to transform the system. The villagers believe that when a proper waste management system is established, that is suited for the local conditions in different villages, the communities will follow and implement it. The villagers in Banyuwangi are motivated as it is in their interest to keep their communities clean.

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