People Understood Benefits of Charged Plastic Bags Program

Jakarta, InfoPublik - According to the Indonesian Retailers Association (APRINDO) the enactment of charged plastic bags program trial has resulted in positive impacts.

Though the socialization of the program have just been conducted for two months, people’s awareness for not to use plastic bags is gradually increasing.

"People have started to understand and comprehend the dangers of using plastic bags, especially to the environment," said APRINDO Chairman Roy Nicolas Mandey in Jakarta, Sunday (4/24).

According to Roy, after nearly two months trial, people have started to understand and comprehend the dangers of using plastic bags.

In principle, said Roy, the trial is conducted in a a period of three months since February 20. The socialization is conducted by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLKH)  and APRINDO, National Consumer Protection Agency (BPKN), and the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI).

"The basic principle is not the charge but socializing information to the people. We intend to reduce plastic waste, the charge is consdered as a fine the customers must pay when they are shopping," he explained.

If we continue the use of plastic bags, Indonesia will become the world's second largest plastic waste producer.

"We will inform the people to bring their own shopping bags instead of buying plastic bags that are 98 percent certain to be discarded. Bags obtained from the store are not likely to be used again for shopping,” he concluded.

The government has issued a policy to implement a charged plastic bags program on Ministry of Environment and Forestry Circular Number: S.1230/PSLB3-PS/2016 concerning Price And mechanism for the Implementation of Charged Plastic Bags. (Translator : Erik Limantara)