Providing sustainable solutions for waste management through cooperation, research, education, and technological development
Indonesia produces 175,000 tons of waste every day and 81% of this is mismanaged. Much of the waste ends up either in landfills or the sea, making the country the second largest sea polluter in the world after China, according to a study.
Proper waste management is essential for health and environmental reasons. This effort is made possible by the House of Innovative Waste Management (HIWM) at AIC-UGM.
Since 2011, the HIWM has been facilitating a large-scale, integrated waste management system through the application of the three R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle. We work closely with academics, researchers, practitioners, and government on developing practical solutions to help UGM and the community manage waste disposal of all types.
Innovative technology to manage waste
The HIWM has introduced fermentation-based technology involving modern composting and biogasification methods for processing livestock waste (e.g., feces, urine, blood, feathers) into useful products such as fertilizer and flour for animal feed. Using modern composting technology with a rotary composter system can reduce odor and accelerate the composting process, which usually takes 30-40 days to only 14 days. This has attracted several companies to partner with us to create compost out of their waste.
In addition to processing livestock waste, we have also developed thermal-based technology using catalytic pyrolysis to heat up plastics and convert them into high quality oil and fuels.
Solid waste collected by the HIWM is burned using green incinerator, a technology to turn solid materials into gas. The advantage of using this is that it can reduce the amount of waste in a short period of time while producing heat which can then be used for steam and electricity generation.
Receiving 60 tons of waste every month, the HIWM has so far managed more than 5 thousand tons of waste into various usable and economically valuable products.
Cultivating black soldier flies for sustainable waste treatment
Household organic waste makes up more than 50% of Indonesia’s municipal waste. When this waste piles up, unpleasant smells and sanitation problems start to appear as organic materials naturally decompose quickly. Sadly, around 74% of organic waste in Indonesia is dumped in landfill sites.
To address this problem, we implement a bioconversion method by cultivating Hermetia illucens, popularly known as black soldier fly, to process organic waste into usable products such as compost and animal feed. This method is proven to be efficient, eco-friendly, and cost-effective.
Our center has socialized and applied this method in Kronggahan Trihanggo village, Sleman in collaboration with UGM Academic Hospital and Direktorat Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat UGM. Through this project, the wider public can enjoy the benefits of bioconversion methods using black soldier flies.
Waste management for the community: Building awareness and understanding
Our center provides educational programs for the community. Every month, hundreds of students from different schools visit us to learn about technology, waste and sustainability, and the impact it will have on the future. Our programs are designed to provide students with first-hand learning experiences and an understanding of the importance of applying the three R’s, so that they can contribute to protecting the environment from the impact of waste disposal.
We also work together with PT Madanitec to hold training programs to offer solutions to waste management problems, with an emphasis on practical technology. These workshops do not only feature presentations, but also hands-on experience on waste management where participants have the opportunity to discuss issues on waste management and expand their knowledge from experienced instructors.
ANSWER: The answer to waste problems
Annual Symposium on Solid Waste Refinery (ANSWER) facilitates regular meetings for all stakeholders and experts from Indonesia and around the world in solid waste treatment, especially Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management. Asian countries share common problems regarding MSW, thus a sharing platform is needed for academics, researchers, government, policymakers, engineers, professionals, NGO’s, and students to overcome various problems and challenges in solid waste treatment and utilization.
Our center is committed to recycling and converting waste into energy sources. This event included a Focus Group Discussion (FGD), which was part of the 1st ANSWER on 7 November 2018. We worked together with Department of Chemical Engineering at UGM to come up with solutions to urban waste management problems especially in Yogyakarta. This event engaged academics, government, and practitioners, and resulted in research works that could benefit the community.
