What Is a Waste Bank? Learn its Examples and Benefits

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There are several ways to manage waste around us; one of which is by supporting waste bank programs. Unfortunately, many people still do not understand; what is a waste bank?

In brief, a waste bank is a place for collecting and managing various types of waste. So, do you want to learn more about a waste bank? Let’s read the information below!

What Is a Waste Bank?

A waste bank is a place to gather and manage waste with the concept of a bank. What makes it different from a financial bank is that it does not deal with money as a bank does, but deals with waste that has value.

When you collect waste at this place, the waste will be weighed, and you will get some money in return. The collected waste will usually be distributed to several partners or reprocessed to be further utilized.

It is important to note that the waste bank management is regulated by the Ministry of Forestry under the Ministry of Forestry Law Number 13 of 2012. Many waste banks are now available in Indonesia, such as Bank Sampah Bersinar, Bank Sampah Darling, Bank Sampah ID, Rubah Kertas, Kamibox, and Rebricks Indonesia.

In addition, the Jakarta Environmental Service also has an official waste bank. So, interested in visiting a waste bank?

Advantages of a Waste Bank

Waste banks have many benefits for society and the environment. Through this program, people can easily dispose of the waste properly. Here are the benefits of a waste bank:

1. Reducing the Amount of Waste

One of the benefits of waste banks is to reduce the amount of waste in landfills. This is in line with research in the Jurnal Teknologi Lingkungan BPPT, which examines the effectiveness of the Bank Sampah Malang in reducing waste in the city.

The results showed that the existence of Bank Sampah Malang can decrease the amount of waste disposed of in landfills by 3,956 tons in 2020. In fact, the decrease in the amount of waste from 2012 to 2020 reached 12,291 tons. Pretty significant, right?

2. Increasing Awareness of the Environment

Aside from becoming the place for collecting waste, the waste bank also routinely educates the surrounding community about how to manage waste. This program is expected to increase public awareness regarding environmental conservation issues.

3. Opening New Jobs

Waste banks often create jobs for their operational processes. Typically, waste bank workers are assigned to weigh waste, provide education, record customer data, and distribute waste to related partners.

4. Conserving the Environment

The next benefit is encouraging environmental preservation action because a waste management program can decrease the amount of waste and create a greener environment.

A waste bank will gather the waste from the surrounding community, either from direct disposal or waste collection in some events. Then, they will process it or dispose of it to the more expert partners.

5. Empowering the Community’s Economy

The waste banks not only help to preserve the environment but also contribute to the economic empowerment of the community because they usually exchange waste for some amount of money according to the regulations. The amount may not be large, but it can be utilized for household needs and so on.

How a Waste Bank Works

To support the efforts on environmental preservation, a waste bank carries out a structured working system. Here are some activities waste banks do:

Waste Collecting: Apart from member deposits, the waste bank also regularly visits several locations to collect waste, such as houses, schools, and public facilities.
Waste Sorting: After the waste is collected, the waste bank will sort it based on the categories, such as organic, inorganic, and hazardous waste. If there is hazardous waste, they will set it aside based on the regulation.
Processing: When waste is not processed immediately, it will be stored in a safe place. Then, the waste bank will process it, such as shredding or compacting it.
Selling and Distributing: After undergoing some process, the waste will be distributed to the recycling companies for further management. Some waste banks also make recycled products independently.
Giving Incentive: Every time people dispose of the waste, they will get cash or other rewards from the waste bank. In addition, incentives can also be in the form of awards to active members.
Educating and Socializing: A waste bank can routinely educate and encourage people to conserve the environment. These activities include training, workshops, seminars, and campaigns on social media.
Administration: To keep operations running smoothly, waste banks record and monitor the entire process, from waste collection to waste sales. This activity aims to create a strategic plan.
Community Development: In carrying out their activities, waste banks do not work alone, as they establish partnerships with various parties, such as the government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and private companies.

That concludes the information about what a waste bank is, its benefits, and how it works. Along with conserving the environment, the waste bank also encourages society to care for nature and empower the economy.

Becoming a member of a waste bank is one of the actions you can take to build a greener environment. Moreover, you can also contribute more to the environment by joining Indonesia Asri to make your effort more optimal.

Indonesia Asri has a #SiPalingSustainable challenge to help you do various environmental conservation actions with simple steps. Joining the #SiPalingSustainable challenge is also exciting because you can try out a sustainable lifestyle simply and easily.

Furthermore, by joining #SiPalingSustainable, you can build a habit of implementing a sustainable lifestyle, such as taking public transportation, exercising, and waste sorting.

Do not wait for too long! Let’s begin with the current green environment and be a part of Warga Asri by registering yourself!