The government will impose US$ 10 garbage tariffs on foreign tourists

ENVIRONMENT - JAKARTA. The Indonesian government shows seriousness in dealing with waste issues. The government plans to impose rubbish tariffs on foreign and local tourists in tourism areas.

Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, explained that his party would include garbage tariffs into hotel visitor rates in the region. Later on, the regional government will manage the collected waste budget. The funds will be used to overcome the garbage problem.

"The tariff for foreign tourists is US$ 10 while the local tariff is US$ 1," Luhut said while talking with the media in his office on Friday (11/30).

Luhut hopes that the implementation of garbage tariff can handle the increasingly massive plastic waste that damages the environment. He also asked the public to be aware of the dangers of waste to the environment.

"Plastic waste is a world problem. We will make a waste management model especially in cities that become tourist destinations such as Bali, Labuan Bajo, Banyuwangi and so on," he said.

Luhut explained, cities such as Banjarmasin, Balikpapan, and Denpasar were pilot cities in the ban on the use of plastic bags. He appreciates the Regional Government for implementing this policy.

"I think the policy can be implemented this year and will be effective in February 2019," he explained. (Translator: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie)