TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is actively partaking in the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA's) program to handle plastic waste, Indonesian Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the UN and other international organizations in Vienna Dr. Darmansjah Djumala stated.

Djumala made the statement during a meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi at the IAEA Headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on Friday evening, Oct 2, 2020.

At the meeting, both sides discussed the realization of the Indonesia-IAEA cooperation in utilizing nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and potential cooperation to respond to national and global development challenges.

At the meeting, one of the topics under deliberation was the Indonesian government's commitment to actively partaking in the IAEA program to handle plastic waste.

IAEA Director General Grossi has launched a nuclear technology for controlling plastic pollution (NUTEC Plastic) program to facilitate the utilization of nuclear technology for plastic waste treatment and recycling.

Indonesia has the potential to become one of the pilot nations for the NUTEC Plastic Program since it has the capacity to control radiation technology and has reliable human resources.

The program will commence in 2021 and involve national stakeholders in the treatment and recycling of plastic waste.

At the meeting, the ambassador also highlighted the Indonesian government's commitment to taking an active part in implementing the NUTEC Plastic Program.

To this end, the government will involve relevant ministries and technical institutions, including the Environment and Forestry Ministry, Industry Ministry, and National Atomic Energy Agency (BATAM) as well as academics, plastic recyclers association, and the national industrial sector.

Integration of the NUTEC Plastic program with the national plastic waste control program will provide added value to the provision of innovative technology for the plastic waste processing industry and will help in attaining the target of reducing domestic plastic waste at the national and regional scales.

The IAEA director general lauded the Indonesian government's endeavors to make the NUTEC Plastic Program a sucess.

This project is projected to run well and will be developed in other countries and regions in future.

"The utilization of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including through the NUTEC Plastic Program, is the outcome of concrete and popular international cooperation in the field of nuclear technology since it facilitates social and economic development," Djumala stated.

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