logo Kompas.id
UtamaThick Black Smoke of “Plastic ...
Iklan

Thick Black Smoke of “Plastic Dollars”

By
Runik Sri Astuti
· 5 minutes read
https://cdn-assetd.kompas.id/re-Qqh6UMzK1goDYD9rfTTiwkBw=/1024x576/filters:watermark(https://cdn-content.kompas.id/umum/kompas_main_logo.png,-16p,-13p,0)/https%3A%2F%2Fkompas.id%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F07%2F20190715_ENGLISH-TEMATIS-SAMPAH-IMPOR_D_web_1563199193.jpg
KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Residents sort out imported waste in front of their house in Bangun village, Pungging district, Mojokerto regency, East Java, on July 8 (8/7/2019). Most of the residents in the village earn a living by sorting out the imported waste from a paper factory to sell to collectors for recycling. The waste was imported from the United States, Britain, Australia and several Asian countries.

Thick columns of black smoke emerged from dozens of chimneys of tofu cottage industries in in June 2019 in Tropodo village, Krian, Sidoarjo regency, East Java. Although they wore face masks, the local people still breathed in the smoke.In only a matter of seconds, breathing becomes difficult while heads become light. Black soot collects around the nostrils in an instant. All result from the furnaces of soy-based production factories that burn waste for fuel. For more than 10 years, the local tofu producers have used waste instead of firewood for fuel, because it is cheaper.

“One truckload of waste is only Rp 200,000 (US$14.37), whereas it is Rp 1 million for firewood. I need two truckloads of waste to cook one ton of soy beans every day,” said Jumaati, one of the 31 tofu cottage industries in Tropodo.

Editor:
Share
Logo Kompas
Logo iosLogo android
Kantor Redaksi
Menara Kompas Lantai 5, Jalan Palmerah Selatan 21, Jakarta Pusat, DKI Jakarta, Indonesia, 10270.
+6221 5347 710
+6221 5347 720
+6221 5347 730
+6221 530 2200
Kantor Iklan
Menara Kompas Lantai 2, Jalan Palmerah Selatan 21, Jakarta Pusat, DKI Jakarta, Indonesia, 10270.
+6221 8062 6699
Layanan Pelanggan
Kompas Kring
+6221 2567 6000