TEMPO.CO, Banda Aceh-City of Banda Aceh is one of eight pilot project regions that implementing non-free plastic bag program in Indonesia. The program is implemented to reduce the number of plastic waste that is harmful on earth.
The program was officially launched by Banda Aceh Mayor Illiza Saaduddin Djamal in Suzuya Mall on Sunday, February 21. “Today, we officially launched a non-free plastic bag program in Banda Aceh,” he said. The event was attended by Environmental Impact Management Agency Chief Iskandar, employers’ representative, state-owned enterprise, and several communities.
Illiza also signed a Non-free Plastic Bag Declaration as a form of commitment to make Banda Aceh a waste-free city in 2020. With the policy, residents will be charged extra for each plastic bag. “We have set the price to Rp500 per plastic bag.”
As the initial phase, non-free plastic bag is set in modern shopping centers including Suzuya Mall and Setui Market, Banda Aceh. The mayor has urged its residents to start carrying baskets from home when they go shopping.
A number of Aceh environmental envoys participated in handing out dozens of cloth-made plastic bags to visitors.
ADI WARSIDI
