TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) chairman Tulus Abadi said that Aprindo should take more progressive plan in applying paid plastic bag, which is by using bags that earned the Indonesian National Standard (SNI).

The use of biodegradable plastic bag is based on the recommendation issued by the National Standardization Agency (BSN) and Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK).

Tulus assessed that the massive use of plastic bag has been indeed worrying, and the government, entrepreneurs, producers, and consumers should synergize to work out the problem.

“The government should take this issue into a radical policy or national movement, not regional,” said Tulus in a statement Friday, March 1.

Read: Retailers Charge Rp200 for Plastic Bag Starting March 1

The condition, he opined, proved that the government, which include KLHK, Trade Ministry, and Industry Ministry, had no serious effort in dealing with pollution caused by plastic waste. Besides, the program should not be imposed only in modern retail shops but also traditional markets, for example, provincial-run market operator PD Pasar Jaya.

“And last, the program should not be stopped in the plastic bag, but also plastic wraps for foods, beverages, cosmetics; and that should use eco-friendly packaging too,” Tulus underlined, adding that plastic package is the real source of environmental pollution.

Tulus also deemed that the paid plastic bag program initiated by Aprindo would not significantly reduce the use of plastic bag because the charge Rp200 per piece would not affect consumers’ buying power.

MUHAMMAD HENDARTYO