LH Agency Facilitates Food Waste Management for Free Nutritious Meals
Reported by Aldi Geri Lumban Tobing | Translated by Nugroho Adibrata
The Jakarta Environmental Agency (LH) is gearing up to support the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program with a focus on organic waste/food waste management.
Hope schools will educate students to bring tumblers
This support includes handling of organic kitchen waste from the kitchen of the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) to schools. It aims to ensure that organic waste can be managed effectively and utilized optimally.
Jakarta LH Agency Head, Asep Kuswanto asserted he was committed to handling organic waste generated from kitchens to food waste at schools.
Presidential Spokesperson Targets Three Million MBG BeneficiariesHe explained organic waste from the SPPG kitchen would be handled and then taken to TPS 3R and distributed to Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Maggot Bioconversion activists.
"SPPGs that have quite large locations such as the Halim Healthy Kitchen for the Nation's Children (DSAB), they can try to reduce waste at their location that is by paying attention to the hygiene aspects of the kitchen," he expressed, Tuesday (1/7).
He explained waste from leftover food at school would also be distributed to waste banks and the BSF Maggot Bioconversion activist community to be processed into valuable products by involving community participation.
He added his party had prepared an organic waste management mechanism by involving various parties. Kitchen waste such as fruit peels, vegetable scraps, and other organic materials at SPPG would be facilitated in its handling.
"Then, leftover food from school, such as fruit peels or unfinished food scraps, will be collected separately to be used as maggot feed or compost material," he added.
Then his party maximized the role of waste banks and the BSF Maggot Bioconversion activist community spread across Jakarta to manage organic waste from this program.
"We want to ensure that organic waste from the Free Nutritious Meals program is not only well managed but also gives benefits to the community and the environment," he uttered.
Therefore, his party urged schools to provide education to students about the importance of waste reduction. It aimed at instilling environmental awareness from an early age while also fostering concern for the negative impacts of 'food waste'.
"Hope schools will educate students to bring tumblers and finish their food and only throw away inedible waste, such as fruit peels. By so, food waste can be reduced, and we can manage the rest of the waste better," he hoped.
He also hoped that this effort would not only reduce the environmental burden caused by food waste, but also become an effort to educate people about the environment from an early age.
"Hopefully, this model can be a pilot for other regions to support the Free Nutritious Meals program," he closed.