Nunukan, North Kalimantan –PT Pertamina EP (PEP) Tarakan Field is developing plastic waste management through the Wet Roots program(Free Garbage Work Alliance). In this program, plastic waste is processed into eco-friendly seaweed buoys.

PEP Tarakan Field synergizes with stakeholders in this program, including the Nunukan Regency government, the Waste Free Work Alliance or Wet Roots, and the local community. Plastic waste is the main target of this program, considering the problem of plastic waste which often becomes environmental pollution because it is not easily decomposed.

PEP Tarakan Field Manager Isrianto Kurniawan explained that the Company initiated this Social and Environmental Responsibility (TJSL) program in 2020, and in 2021, this group was officially formed.

“The company continues to provide support for the Wet Roots program, including supporting infrastructure, training in float production management, and introducing these environmentally friendly seaweed floats to the user community,” explained Isrianto.

According to Isrianto, Nunukan is one of the regencies in the coastal region of North Kalimantan with an economic commodity in the form of seaweed, especially on Mamolo Beach. During planting, seaweed farmers use plastic bottles as seaweed floats. As time goes by, the demand for seaweed continues to increase, which results in an increase in used plastic waste for seaweed expanse buoys. However, these used bottle floats are short-lived, so they pile up as trash, polluting the environment and the underwater ecosystem on Mamolo Beach.

“The Wet Roots Program is a manifestation of Pertamina’s commitment as a state-owned company to contribute to community development and environmental preservation actively. We appreciate community groups and the Nunukan Regency Government who have been proactive and committed so that this synergy can run well,” added Isrianto.

Head of Communication Relations & CID Zone 10, Dharma Saputra, stated that this program has great potential to be integrated with other TJSL programs, such as collaborating with Kubedistik in utilizing chopped plastic waste seeds to fill bean bag chairs with Tarakan batik motifs.

“The community has felt several benefits since the existence of this program because it succeeded in responding to development challenges in environmental and social aspects in Nunukan Regency, namely by reducing plastic waste on the coast of Nunukan and improving the underwater ecosystem. While on the social aspect, Wet Root has changed the pattern of cultivation practices to be more environmentally friendly,” said Dharma.

The chairman of the Karya Bersama Garbage Bank, Habir, and seaweed farmers in Nunukan Regency, especially the Mamolo area, expressed their appreciation to Pertamina for giving an active response regarding the waste conditions they were facing, as well as the support also provided by the Nunukan Regency Government.

“We hope that this environmentally friendly seaweed ball float innovation can help reduce the amount of plastic waste that exists because we realize that if there are no preventive measures in preserving the environment, the plastic bottle float waste can damage the Mamolo seaweed cultivation where we are. Make a living,” said Habir.

This program successfully achieved some awards, including 1st place in the innovation competition at the North Kalimantan level for using plastic waste as a recycled product in the form of seaweed floats. Meanwhile, in early 2023, PEP Tarakan Field won a silver winner in the 2023 Public Relations Indonesia Awards (PRIA) assessment event for the Wet Roots program.

PT Pertamina EP (PEP) Tarakan Field is part of the Subholding Upstream Pertamina Regional 3, which PHI leads. In carrying out the management of upstream oil and gas operations and business by the principles of ESG (Environment, Social, Governance), PEP Tarakan Field, together with other PHI subsidiaries and affiliates, carry out innovative Social and Environmental Responsibility programs in the fields of Economy, Education, Health, Environment, Infrastructure, and Disaster Response to support sustainable community empowerment and the achievement of the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). PHI is headquartered in Jakarta. Further information on PHI is available at https://phi.pertamina.com.