Management Policy for Organic Waste from Plantation and Plantation Production Factory in North Sumatra

Abstract

Policy on the management of the living environment in Indonesia changed with the promulgation of Act No. 32 in 2009 on the protection and management of the environment. While Act No. 18 in 2008 specifies the policy on waste and trash management. In accordance with the concept of environmental ethics the application of environmental ethics in North Sumatra is vital to develop good waste management (Keraf, 2012). The concept of environmental ethics reviews human, nature and environmental relationship between people with the natural environment (Keraf, 2004). The purposes of this writing are: (1) to enhance the moral responsibility of society in accordance with environmental ethics on plantation waste management in North Sumatra Province, (2) to enhance the role of community participation in safeguarding the environment by means of management of organic waste from plantation, and (3) to increases the potential and opportunities of managing organic wastes from plantation into valuable products that can benefit the community. The research method adopted is a descriptive analytic method. Thus, the survey was conducted to the plantation communities in North Sumatra. From the results of the analysis, it is found that some estates have been processing organic wastes into alternative Energy, biogas, feed cattle, buildings, raw materials and ingredients for compost. However, the local community has yet to feel the benefit from this progress, while there are still many estates that have not done much in terms of waste management. It decreases the aesthetic and contribution to environmental pollution around the area. Only a very small number of the community members (0.35%) have conducted sustainable waste management, which in fact has a high economic value (90%). Some recommendations for plantation waste management policy in North Sumatra are: (1) the role and support of the community and the Government in the management of organic wastes in accordance with moral responsibility in safeguarding the environment refers to the ethical environment that supports sustainable development (2) waste management of plantations should consider the participation of the local community, as well as the socio- economic condition of the local, traditional people, and (3) unlock the potential and the opportunities of the management and utilization of plantation and agriculture waste into renewable energy.