In this digital era, technological advancements are developing very rapidly. Human activities today are inseparable from electronic devices. An increasing number of electronic products are being produced with comprehensive features and quite affordable prices. This is evidenced by the 22.03% increase in production of the computer industry, electronics, and optical goods, especially micro and small devices (BPS, 2019). Technological advancements certainly make life easier for consumers. However, these technological advances also have a negative impact on people's lifestyles, which are becoming more consumerist. For example, the temptation to always buy a new phone model because it has more advanced features or because the old one is damaged. Thus, these unused cell phones become electronic waste.
Electronic waste is electronic equipment that is no longer usable, unused, or desirable and has become discarded and needs to be discarded, whether intact or not. This electronic waste can include batteries, electrical cables, incandescent light bulbs, cell phones, televisions, irons, and other electronic items we frequently encounter in our daily lives.
Based on data from The Global E-waste Monitor 2020, e-waste generation during 2019 reached 53.6 million tons. Of the 53.6 million tons of e-waste generated worldwide, Asia (including Indonesia) contributed the highest amount of waste, amounting to 24.9 million tons. In fact, Indonesia is the highest contributor of e-waste in Southeast Asia. In the case of Indonesia, reported by Greenpeace, this country produced 812 kilotons of e-waste in 2014. The Global E-waste Monitor 2020 (Forti et al., 2020), states that in 2019 Indonesia produced 1618 kilotons of e-waste. This increase in e-waste generation is quite significant, where in just 5 years the e-waste production has doubled.
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In addition to people's increasingly consumerist lifestyles, the increase in e-waste is also driven by production. Indonesia has yet to focus on designing durable, repairable electronic products with readily available components. Furthermore, the majority of Indonesians operate as distributors and do not manufacture their own products, particularly for smartphones and Internet of Things devices (Ramdhini, 2019), which are the most sought-after and purchased electronic products.
Furthermore, Indonesia's e-waste management system remains inadequate, even though e-waste is classified as hazardous and toxic waste (B3). After a 12-year wait, the government finally issued Government Regulation (PP) Number 27 of 2020 concerning Specific Waste Management, a derivative of Law Number 18 of 2008 concerning Waste Management. This Government Regulation serves as the legal framework for e-waste management. During this time, despite efforts to raise public awareness by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and several regional government agencies, concrete efforts to manage e-waste in Indonesia have received little attention from the government. Guidelines for managing e-waste in households and other sources are still lacking. E-waste collection by regional governments remains minimal, although it is worth noting that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government's efforts in managing e-waste through the " Penjemputan Limbah Elektronik " program initiated in 2017 (DLH DKI Jakarta, 2017) and the distribution of several special containers or dropboxes for e-waste in public places are commendable. Not to mention the issue of the Government's encouragement to manufacturers and distributors of electronic products to develop take-back schemes in their business models to accommodate the return of products that have passed their useful life to ensure responsible management of electronic waste.
Electronic waste management should be carried out with utmost care and precision. Electronic waste cannot be treated the same as organic waste or other waste. Referring to Government Regulation (PP) Number 101 of 2014 concerning the Management of Hazardous and Toxic Waste (B3), which includes electronic waste, its management must be specifically carried out by licensed parties. Although there are currently several certified electronic waste processing companies in Indonesia, their number is still relatively small. The recycling rate of electronic waste is also quite low, for example, in Jakarta, the nation's capital, it is still only 2% (Siringo, 2019). E-waste management in Indonesia is still dominated by the informal sector, namely scavengers or junk dealers.
The EwasteRJ community demonstrated the dominance of e-waste management in Indonesia by the informal sector through a questionnaire distributed in mid-2020. The survey results found that 14.84% of the public gave their e-waste to scavengers or junk dealers, in addition to throwing it away and mixing it with other types of waste or simply storing it at home. While the informal sector significantly helps reduce e-waste, it cannot guarantee that it is properly recycled. Their e-waste collection and processing processes often lack personal protective equipment and only collect high-value materials, while the rest is discarded or even burned. Thus, pollution from the e-waste processing process will continue.
Among the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which we must collectively achieve by 2030, one goal closely related to e-waste is ensuring sustainable production and consumption patterns. This is indicated by the reuse, reduction, and recycling of waste, including e-waste, which is considered hazardous and toxic waste.
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The EwasteRJ community is present with the EwasteRJdropzone movement where we encourage people to treat their electronic waste properly through drop boxes that we have provided at several points spread across several cities. After the electronic waste is collected, EwasteRJ will hand it over to an electronic waste recycling company for further processing. The recycling process starts from dismantling to sorting and processing each type of material to become raw material again. For example, copper from PCBs is melted to become copper ingots again. Meanwhile, B3 waste will be processed through a stabilization-solidification process (to reduce heavy metal content) and landfill or thermal treatment .
However, before entering the reuse and recycling stages, it is essential to start by reducing the potential for electronic waste generation. To achieve this, there are two approaches: product design and manufacturing, and lifestyle development. The planning and design stages of electronic products undertaken by manufacturers are at the forefront of e-waste management. It would be beneficial if these products were designed to have high durability and also provided with evenly distributed spare parts to facilitate the repair process for consumers. Electronic product manufacturers can also use materials from the recycling process of other products to reduce the extraction of increasingly limited natural resources, which sometimes sacrifices the rights of certain communities.
Developing a lifestyle approach with a sustainable technology consumption mindset in Indonesia is also crucial. Consumers are expected to become more discerning in purchasing and using electronic goods and to wisely manage electronic waste.
Being a wise consumer, combined with the involvement of producers and the government, will provide a solution to Indonesia's e-waste problem. The involvement of all parties can reduce waste generation, improve waste management, increase recycling rates in Indonesia, and ultimately minimize the pollution and health risks of e-waste.
By: Pranandya Wijayanti, Martina Solya, Indah Anandya, Yorkie Sutaryo
