Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) through its community service team introduced pyrolysis technology as a strategic solution for waste management in Pesanggrahan Village, Batu City, East Java. This innovation is designed to convert accumulated plastic waste into alternative fuel with economic value while addressing the challenge of limited final disposal site (TPA) capacity in the region.
The head of the ITS community service team, Lucky Putri Rahayu, stated that the main focus of this program is to empower the community to manage waste processing systems independently. By integrating pyrolysis technology, plastic waste can be converted into energy, which also adds value to the local economy at the village level.
Supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, this program involves various community elements, including village officials, waste bank managers, and the Karang Taruna youth organization. Pesanggrahan Village was chosen as a pilot project because it is considered to have a fairly good basic infrastructure, such as the TPS3R facility and an active waste management ecosystem, although it still requires further technological innovation.
Pyrolysis technology works by processing HDPE and PP plastic waste at high temperatures between 350 and 400 degrees Celsius. Initial trials demonstrated the efficiency of the device, where 7 kilograms of plastic waste produced pyrolysis oil with high flammability, showing potential for use as an alternative energy source.
Dr. Dra. Melania Suweni Muntini, MT, emphasized that the sustainability of this technology highly depends on residents' discipline in sorting waste at home. It is hoped that the integration of technology and a shift in community mindset will create a sustainable environmental management model and significantly reduce waste volume in Batu City.
