Bogor District, West Java (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Environment and Forestry Ministry on Wednesday inaugurated its first non-thermal polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) waste processing machine, which was donated by the United Nations (UN).The operation of the machine, which was donated by the UN through the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), has been entrusted to PT Prasadha Pamunah Limbah Industri (PPLI), which is based in Bogor, a ministry official, Rosa Vivien Ratnawati, informed. “This facility is the first and only one in Indonesia, which adopts the non-combustion destruction method,” she said. ccording to Ratnawati, the combustion destruction method produces CO2 emissions and may create dioxins and furans toxic compounds, but non-combustion technology does not produce dangerous gases. The UN’s concern for the problem of waste in Indonesia, including PCBs, is quite deep, she said. “This type of artificial chemical compound is very dangerous, not just to the environment but also to human health,” Ratnawati added. The cooperation project with the UN, entitled “Introduction of an Environmentally Sound Management and Disposal System for PCB Wastes and PCB-Contaminated Equipment,” is intended to eradicate PCBs in Indonesia, she noted. She stressed that Indonesia is committed to supporting the global target of eliminating PCBs by the end of 2028. “It has been 22 years since the Stockholm Convention was signed or 14 years since it was ratified. The ministry stresses that nothing changes from this commitment,” she said. In fact, Indonesia’s commitment has grown stronger with the integration of the strengthening of various national mechanisms related to environmental management performance monitoring, such as through the PROPER mechanism, Ratnawati noted. PPLI’s selection as the recipient of the donated facility was based on an in-depth review. “Based on our review, PPLI’s qualification as an integrated B3 (toxic and hazardous materials) waste processing company is very accurate. PPLI has experience in processing B3 waste,” she informed. The PCB processing machine was tested for around a year before it was inaugurated by the ministry on Wednesday. The facility funded by the Global Environmental Fund is currently in the process of obtaining an Operational Eligibility Letter (SLO) from the ministry.
Source: Antara News Agency