According to the company’s website press release on April 11, 2023, PT Pertamina EP (PEP) Tarakan Field, part of Pertamina's Upstream Subholding Kalimantan Region, is developing plastic waste management through the Akar Basah (Waste Free Working Alliance) program. In this program, plastic waste is processed into eco-friendly seaweed buoys.
In this program, PEP Tarakan Field synergizes with stakeholders, including the Nunukan Regency government, the Waste Free Work Alliance or Akar Basah, and the local community. Plastic waste is the main target of this program considering the plastic waste problem, which often becomes environmental pollution because of its inability to be easily decomposed.
Field Manager of PEP Tarakan, Isrianto Kurniawan, explained that this Social and Environmental Responsibility (TJSL) program had been initiated by the Company in 2020, and in 2021 this group was officially formed.
"The company continues to support the Akar Basah program by providing supporting infrastructure, training in buoy production management, and introducing this environmentally friendly seaweed buoy 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 seaweed, especially on Mamolo Beach. During planting process, seaweed farmers utilize used plastic bottles as seaweed buoys. 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, which pollutes the environment and the underwater ecosystem on Mamolo Beach.
"The Akar Basah Program is a manifestation of Pertamina's commitment as a state-owned company to make an active contribution to community development and environmental preservation. We appreciate community groups and the Nunukan Regency Government who have been proactive and committed so that this synergy can run well," added Isrianto.
The 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 bags chairs with Tarakan batik pattern.
"Several benefits have been felt by the community since this program's existence because it succeeded in responding to development challenges in environmental and social aspects in Nunukan Regency. Namely by reducing plastic waste on the Nunukan coast, as well as improving the underwater ecosystem. Meanwhile, on the social aspect, Akar Basah has changed the pattern of cultivation practices to be more environmentally friendly," said Dharma.
The chairman of the Karya Bersama Waste 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 given by the Nunukan Regency Government.
"We hope this environmentally friendly seaweed ball buoy 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, the place where we make a living,” said Habir.
Several awards were successfully obtained by this program, including 1st place in the innovation competition at the North Kalimantan level for the innovation of utilizing plastic waste as a recycled product in the form of seaweed buoys. Moreover, in early 2023, PEP Tarakan Field won a silver winner in the 2023 Public Relations Indonesia Awards (PRIA) assessment event for the Akar Basah program.
PT Pertamina EP (PEP) Tarakan Field is part of the Subholding Upstream Pertamina Regional 3, led by PHI. In carrying out the upstream oil and gas operations and business management according to the principles of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), PEP Tarakan Field, with other PHI subsidiaries and affiliates carry out innovative Social and Environmental Responsibility programs in Economy, Education, Health, Environment, Infrastructure, and Disaster Response fields to support sustainable community empowerment and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement.
