TEMPO Interactive, Banyuwangi:This year the Ministry of Environment is building an integrated wastewater treatment plant (IPAL) in the industrial district of Muncar, Banyuwangi. The 500-cubic meter per day IPAL is designed to treat waste from eight fish processing companies in the region. Head of the Banyuwangi Environment Agency Husnul Chotimah says the integrated IPAL will be built on a 900-square-meter area, in Tratas Hamlet, Kedungringin village, Muncar. The Rp9.5 billion in funds to build the facility will be allocated from the state budget. "Right now the bidding is in process," she told Tempo on Monday. According Husnul, the integrated IPAL is one way to overcome pollution in Muncar as many small companies cannot afford their own waste processing systems. There are about 100 companies in Muncar that process fish such as sardines, flour and fish oil. A total of 40 companies will be required to install IPAL because their waste is above the standard set by the Environment Law. As many of the companies do not have treatment facilities, wastewater is directly discharged into nearby rivers. As a result, pollution levels are very high. Husnul added that the integrated IPAL would be a pilot project that would encourage other companies to follow suit. "Some large companies have IPAL, but more don’t," she said. Chair of the Association of Fish Canning and Flour Yulia Puji Astutik says the association supports the efforts. "The IPAL integrated program has been planned for quite some time, but is only now being realized," she said. IKA NINGTYAS