Jakarta (ANTARA) – Deputy Minister of Environment Diaz Hendropriyono stated that the Indonesian government is intensifying efforts to phase out the use of mercury to achieve a mercury-free Indonesia by 2030.
According to a confirmed statement in Jakarta on Saturday, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensure environmental protection, which includes meeting targets for eliminating mercury and toxic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
“The use of mercury is illegal and extremely hazardous. Unfortunately, it is still widely found in medical devices and small-scale gold mining. Therefore, I urge law enforcement officials who encounter this to collaborate with professional waste managers like PT Wastec,” Diaz said.
So far, the Ministry of the Environment has successfully recalled around 81,236 mercury-containing medical devices across 22 provinces.
Speaking during visits to facilities operated by PT Wastec International in Cilegon, Banten, and PT Prasadha Pamunah Limbah Industri (PPLI) in Bogor, West Java, on Thursday (September 10), Diaz noted that Indonesia has set targets to eliminate mercury by 2030 and PCBs by 2028.
As key managers of mercury and PCBs, both companies are urged to keep innovating to ensure hazardous waste is safely managed and stored to help achieve these targets.
Meanwhile, Diaz stressed the importance of addressing PCBs, toxic substances previously used as coolants or electrical insulators in electrical transformers.
Their use is now banned due to proven toxicity that poses severe threats to human health and the environment.
He acknowledged that significant hurdles remain in phasing out PCBs and managing equipment containing the substance, largely driven by administrative bottlenecks and high transportation costs. As a form of support, Diaz emphasized that his ministry is seeking a solution for owners of the equipment.
This move aligns with the implementation of Environment and Forestry Ministerial Regulation No. 29 of 2020, which sets a 2028 deadline for phasing out PCBs under Indonesia’s commitment to the Stockholm Convention.
Through these strategic measures, the Ministry of Environment remains optimistic that the goal of creating a clean, safe, and sustainable environment in accordance with global mandates can be achieved on schedule.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Raka Adji
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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