Invite Malang Residents to Reduce Plastic Waste - Mongabay.co.id : Mongabay.co.id

2022-05-14 06:33:56 By : Maoye woodworking machinery

Dozens of students, students, youth and the general public entered the aisle of used drinks bottles on the campus of Widyagama University Malang at the end of last March.Some chose to pose and take selfies in a three-meter-long hallway with a height of two meters.The plastic bottle aisle is an installation art built by Ecological Observation and Wetlands Conservation (Ecoton).The plastic bottle art installation is composed of 3,285 used beverage bottles of various types and brands.Azis, Coordinator of the exhibition “Brantas Xoxo: Save Brantas from Plastic Waste” as well as legal coordinator of Ecoton, said that drinking bottles reflect the use of drinks in plastic bottles."The number of bottles of this installation is produced by one person who consumes three bottles of drinks a day for three years," he said.So, the volume of plastic bottle waste will increase if it accumulates in the family environment.For this reason, Azis invites Malang residents to reduce plastic bottle waste.How, by using a refillable drink bottle.After passing through the plastic alley, visitors had the opportunity to test the water quality.Includes Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and microplastic content. Microplastic content seen in a microscope is scanned on a television screen. Visitors can clearly see whether the water they are carrying is free of microplastics or microplastic content is found. .Some visitors bring bottled water from wells, springs, rivers, and water from local drinking water companies.As a result, well water, water sources, rivers and PDAMs are contaminated with microplastics.Microplastics, he said, are plastic crumbs that break down in sizes less than five millimeters."Its a quick test, the water is positive for microplastics.We need in-depth studies with proper methods," he said.Ecoton deliberately brought laboratory equipment to show the phenomenon of microplastics and water quality degradation as raw materials for drinking water.Meanwhile, microplastics bind water pollutants such as heavy metals, pesticides, detergents and pathogenic bacteria.It is a carcinogen that can interfere with human health.Ecoton also provides refill stores for liquid soap, shampoo, floor cleaner, antiseptic liquid and other personal care products.Visitors are required to bring their own containers.So that visitors can reduce the use of various plastic packaging including sachet packaging which pollutes the river a lot."There are also cloth diapers that can be used repeatedly," said Azis.There are also various crafts and souvenirs made from plastic packaging and sachets.Visitors can also see photo galleries of Ecoton's activities including the Brantas river crossing, Bengawan Solo, "freeing" trees and bamboo from plastic waste, brand audits and advocacy on pollution from company waste."Giving a real picture of the condition of rivers in East Java and Central Java that are polluted," he said.Diana Antasari felt that she knew the dangers of plastic waste after coming to this exhibition.As well as the negative impact on the environment and human health.“Plastic is difficult to decompose, compared to other waste.Harm to health.I will reduce the crackle bag, if I do shopping I bring my own bag.”Visitors are also asked to write down their problems and hopes on a wishing tree.The aim is to identify the problems faced by Malang residents.The results will be followed up and submitted to the Malang City Environment Service."Many residents of Malang complain about the problem of plastic waste," he said.Also, waste that is not managed properly causes air pollution and environmental pollution.For this reason, Ecoton encourages the Malang City Government to provide facilities and infrastructure for waste processing.Ecoton demands the responsibility of producers to take back the packaging waste they produce.In addition, redesigning the packaging to minimize plastic waste.“Manufacturers often blame consumers.In fact, if producers don't produce plastic packaging, no plastic waste is thrown into the river," said Azis.Companies, he said, must restore the environment, one of which is by budgeting recovery funds that can come from corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds.Ecoton held a marathon exhibition, in the areas of the Brantas River and Bengawan Solo.Previously, exhibitions were held in Gresik, Sidoarjo, Mojokerto, Jombang, and Surabaya.On the sidelines of the exhibition, there were discussions and film screenings on environmental issues.Purnawan Dwikora Negara, Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Widyagama Malang, said that in this exhibition, visitors were invited to bring samples of bottled water.As a result, the majority of water from wells, sources, rivers and PDAMs contains microplastics.“Malang is not free of microplastics.This is a warning, it is dangerous for health.The impact is decades, it can cause cancer,” said the man who is also an activist for the East Java Walhi.In the definition of environmental law are humans and their behavior.So that environmental problems are also a legal domain that involves many aspects, including policy and law enforcement.Like making regulations in legal products that guide behavior."So that students do not only see the text of the article in the law, but also behavior.Good behavior is a good law," he said.Wahyu Eka Setyawan, Executive Director of Walhi East Java, said the upstream of the Brantas River in Batu City is worrying.The impact of overexploitation of space and forests that become water catchment areas affects the quality and quantity of water flowing into the Brantas River.“In Batu, the forest is decreasing.The catchment and catchment areas are reduced.As a result, flooding occurs and affects the quality and quantity of Brantas water,” he said.WALHI records in East Java, the springs in the upper Brantas continue to shrink.Initially there were 111 springs, now there are 53 sources left.Water, he said, is a basic right of the community and must be fulfilled.The government must make policy products to maintain sustainable springs.Establish sustainable water management, governance and use.