TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan applauded the US$60 investment made in waste processing and recycling by PT Free The Sea. Luhut made his statement during the grand opening of PT Free The Sea at the Panbil Industrial Area, Batam, on Thursday, March 9, 2023.

Luhut asserted that the investment displayed the company's commitment to saving the environment. "I have respect for this company as attempts to recycle plastic must be the government’s main attention," said Luhut on Thursday, March 9, 2023. "Don't look at the investment value but look at the technology that is adopted and its benefit for the future."

Luhut also acknowledged the harm that plastic waste presents for future generations. "Once the plastic waste enters the ocean it becomes microplastic that would be eaten by marine life. That fish would then be consumed by humans, especially productive women or pregnant and make their children disabled," Luhut said.

Luhut said that plastic waste has become a transboundary issue and has become one of the UN's concerns in dealing with environmental issues. Luhut added that a discussion on an international agreement to regulate the reduction of plastic waste is currently ongoing.

Luhut also asserted the importance of a circular economy scheme that can be implemented by producers not only for the sake of business continuity but for the benefit of the environment.

"Do not destroy your environment. Our children and grandchildren will live in an environment that we are looking out for right now," Luhut asserted.

Head of PT Free The Sea Bahri Beyhan, said that this recycled production process has been tested by the company since early 2022. Recycling plastic waste was successfully carried out and produced coffee machines.

"These coffee machines are then exported worldwide, starting from Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific," Beyhan elaborated.

Meanwhile, all the waste used by PT Free The Sea is sourced locally from Batam City. The company cooperates with waste banks and collects them regularly at every waste bank in Batam.

By cooperating with 20 collectors and 700 individual collectors, PT. Free the Sea (PT. WIK group) has recycled a claimed twenty million plastic bottle waste and produced one million coffee makers.

YOGI EKA SAHPUTRA

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