Responding to waste and environmental problems, the Environmental Engineering Study Program of the Faculty of Engineering (FT) Bosowa University (Unibos) held a public lecture entitled “Challenges and Opportunities: Small Steps to Overcome Waste Problems” held at Students’ Lounge Building 1, Friday (01/11/2024).
This activity presented the Founder of PT Maros Limbah Sulisindo, Firmansyah as a speaker in sharing knowledge with lecturers and students of the Unibos Environmental Engineering Study Program who actively participated in conveying their respective knowledge and insights about waste problems.
Active interaction between speakers and participants showed that Unibos students have a critical and analytical mindset, because not a few of the participants provided ideas and steps that can be taken to overcome the waste problem.
In this knowledge sharing, Firmansyah mentioned two approaches to waste management, namely reduction and handling which requires the active role of the community in controlling and managing the amount of waste that continues to increase from year to year.
“Waste management can be done through two approaches, namely reduction and handling. Although waste reduction at the source is very important, currently there is more potential for waste management because this approach can be more easily controlled and managed by maximizing the role of waste collectors, who can contribute significantly to the waste collection and sorting process,” he said.
Furthermore, he also expressed his idea that to overcome the waste problem, it must be done by raising public awareness about the high consumption of plastic and other types of waste and socializing effective waste reduction and management.
“The main challenges include low public awareness and knowledge, high plastic consumption, limited infrastructure, and the almost full capacity of landfills. So it is very important to raise public awareness so that waste can be managed more effectively and efficiently,” he said.
Today’s knowledge sharing is expected to be small steps that have a big impact on society through students as intermediaries to continue campaigning for the importance of good waste management.
Steps such as waste banks, simple technology, and public education must be supported by consistent law enforcement and infrastructure development so that waste management becomes more effective and sustainable.
