RECYCLING PESTICIDE PLASTIC CONTAINERS IN INDONESIA: AN EVALUATION OF TECHNICAL, ECONOMIC, AND REGULATORY IMPACT FEASIBILITY

• Main Author: Sugih Nugroho, Nanang
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/85944
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

This study explores the feasibility of recycling pesticide plastic packaging from plantation sites in Indonesia, focusing on technical, economic, and regulatory aspects. Technical feasibility analysis was conducted by evaluating the effectiveness of the cleaning process in removing pesticide residues to ensure the quality of recycled materials. Additionally, the packaging containing recycled material was subjected to standard packaging quality tests and a permeability test using pesticide product.The economic feasibility analysis was conducted by comparing the total cost of pesticide plastic containers containing recycled materials with the cost of packaging made from virgin plastic materials.The regulatory analysis emphasizes the recommendation to the Indonesian government to reclassify waste pesticide containers from hazardous to non-hazardous materials following the validation of the triple rinsing trial's effectiveness in removing pesticide residue. Reclassifying the containers as non-hazardous will reduce transportation costs from the source locations, such as plantations or farming areas, to the waste processing plant, thereby improving the economic feasibility of the pesticide plastic container recycling. Recommendations include conducting production trials with larger container sizes and adjusting the recycled material percentage. Also a further research in crops application is recommended. Industries are advised to align with regulations by adopting best recycling practices and establishing robust compliance processes. The study concludes that recycling pesticide plastic packaging with 40% recycled material content is feasible, provided that technical parameters meet the required standards and economic feasibility is achieved where the total cost is lower than the packaging price with pure virgin material. The economic feasibility will be further enhanced if the Indonesian government reclassifies the waste containers as non-hazardous, after triple rinsing process, thereby reducing transportation costs.