Abstract
A successful community-based waste management system is being carried out in Sukunan Village, located 5km west of the center of Yogyakarta in Indonesia. In this waste-management system, villagers separate their household waste into four categories: plastic, paper, glass and metal, and organics. The recyclable wastes are sold to garbage traders while the organic waste is being converted into compost as a plant fertilizer. Some of the wastes are being “up-cycled” into more valuable products, including handicraft items created from discarded plastic bags. These activities generate income for the village. In addition, as a result of the waste-management system, the living environment of the village has been drastically improved. This paper introduces the details of Sukunan Village’s waste-management system and discusses ways to deal with waste management at a local level in developing countries.
