Community in Dharmasraya turns plastic waste into diesel fuel

Dharmasraya, W Sumatra (ANTARA) - A business community named Gaharu Empowerment Center Nagari Sungai Duo in West Sumatra has converted plastic waste into diesel fuel, offering a low-cost alternative to commercial fuels while helping tackle growing waste problems, local officials said on Friday.

The community Dharmasraya District produces the fuel, branded as "Petasol", from discarded plastic by using locally developed processing technology. Petasol is currently sold to residents at Rp15,000 per liter, significantly below the Rp24,000 per liter price of Pertadex fuel.

"The fuel is already being sold to the public at Rp15,000 per liter, much lower than Pertadex which costs as much as Rp24,000 per liter," the community manager Second Police Inspector Alfajri said in Pulau Punjung, West Sumatra, on Friday (June 19).

Alfajri, who also serves as a community police officer in Sungai Duo, said the initiative emerged through collaboration with the village administration and gained support from Dharmasraya Police Resort Head, Senior Commissioner Kartyana Widyarso Wardayo Putro.

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Alfajri explained the technology converts dry plastic waste into diesel-equivalent fuel at an almost one-to-one ratio. The facility can process up to 65 kilograms of plastic waste daily, producing about 58 liters of fuel.

"After operating for nearly two months, we have produced around 10 jerry cans of diesel, each with a capacity of 30 liters, using approximately one metric ton of processed plastic waste," he said.

The project buys plastic waste from residents through local Dasawisma community groups at Rp500 per kilogram before purchasing it from the groups at Rp1,000 per kilogram.

"The Rp500 difference is used to support village programmes. We hand the funds to community cadres to help finance stunting prevention efforts," Alfajri said.​​​​​​​

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Meanwhile, Wardayo Putro said he fully supported the collaboration between community police officers and the Sungai Duo village administration, saying it generated both environmental and economic benefits.

He said the initiative should serve as a model for other community police officers because it helps create a cleaner and more comfortable environment while generating economic value.

"We fully support what our officers are doing. This effort will provide broad benefits, from helping solve waste problems to creating economic value," Kartyana said.

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Translator: Rahmatul Laila, Martha Herlinawati Simanjuntak

Editor: Fransiska Ninditya

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