Lestari Waste Bank's Contribution: Sorting from an Early Age

The existence of the Lestari Waste Bank in RW 11, Meruya Selatan Urban Village, Kembangan Sub-dstrict, West Jakarta, is quite effective in addressing environmental waste issues.

This journey is clear evidence that genuine good intentions can turn challenges into opportunities

Lestari Waste Bank Chairperson, Wike Meilany said, this initiative began in 2022 through a casual chat in a WhatsApp group of mothers regarding the pile-up of trash, especially due to the rampant online shopping that threatens the environment.

"After developing into a large movement, then the Environmental Agency nurtured us thus this waste bank could be officially inaugurated in 2022 and began actively transforming waste, which was usually discarded directly, into high economic value," she expressed, Thursday (9/11).

Teluk Gong Market Becomes a Model for Waste Management

Out of the 144 family heads in RW 11, she explained, the Lestari Waste Bank has now reached nearly 50 percent of residents actively participating in collecting and sorting household waste.

In one weighing, he assessed, 300 to 400 kilograms of organic and inorganic waste was successfully collected.

"If we total this year from January to early September 2025, we have collected six tons of garbage," she explained.

Besides the economic value derived from the sale of inorganic waste, the processing of organic waste into compost also impacts the development of waste banks and other elements such as helping plant growth in urban farming.

"If the results from weighing all inorganic waste are donated to the RW fund for the purpose of building a waste bank facility and others. Meanwhile, the compost is used to support urban farming, with the harvest sold to residents at affordable prices," she explained.

Because of good administrative management, RW 11 has now changed. Through the existing Botanical Garden concept, this environment has become cooler and more lush. Residents' awareness has also increased, reflected in the use of solar cells and LED lights in many homes.

Then, the RW 11 Post has also become a center for various activities, ranging from soap-making workshops using used cooking oil, regular meetings, and other beneficial activities.

"This journey is clear evidence that genuine good intentions can turn challenges into opportunities. In 2024, we received the award for the best waste bank in Jakarta, and we're now pioneers of the ecosystem. Every person can contribute to creating a better environment," she closed.