The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) provided critical notes regarding waste management efforts in Indonesia. Although various modern processing methods such as composting technology, refuse-derived fuel (RDF), biogas, pyrolysis, and incineration are already available, the effectiveness of their implementation in the field is still considered far from expectations.
Principal Researcher at BRIN's Research Center for Environmental and Clean Technology, Wahyu Purwanta, revealed that the main obstacle in waste management has now shifted from the availability of hardware to building supporting systems. Many technologies that show impressive performance on a laboratory scale fail to operate optimally when faced with operational realities in the community.
Wahyu emphasized that the direction of national research now needs to transform. Instead of being fixated on developing technical innovations such as equipment efficiency or new catalysts, the research focus should be directed towards improving the waste ecosystem. System innovation is considered the main key so that existing technologies can run sustainably and provide real benefits for the environment.
Furthermore, BRIN highlighted that the waste problem is a multidimensional issue that cannot be solved by technocrats alone. Cross-disciplinary collaboration is needed, starting from social and economic experts to local policymakers, to ensure that the operation of these technologies is supported by strong regulations, funding, and public participation.
Thus, the biggest challenge for Indonesia in the future is no longer just finding sophisticated waste processing equipment. The strategic focus must be placed on how to create an ecosystem capable of maintaining the sustainability of the technology so that it can operate consistently in the long term.
