Air Pollution in a Number of Areas During Eid Homecoming Will Be Examined

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry will study the increase and decrease in air pollution in several areas during the Eid homecoming.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Flow on the Cikampek Kilometer 57 Toll Road, Karawang Regency, West Java, Sunday (14/4/2024) at 14.15 WIB.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Millions of private vehicles moving simultaneously during the Lebaran homecoming period every year can increase and reduce the level of air pollution in a number of areas. . The Ministry of Environment and Forestry or KLHK will study the increase and decrease in air pollution in several areas during the Eid homecoming by looking at data at a number of monitoring stations.

The statement was made by the Director General of Pollution Control and Environmental Damage of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), Sigit Reliantoro, when answering questions about the increase of air pollution during the Eid al-Fitr holiday period at the KLHK Media Center in Jakarta on Friday, April 19, 2024.

"We will study it by checking with AQMS (air quality monitoring system) via monitoring stations so we can get convincing figures (increase and decrease in air pollution). "So, maybe in Jakarta the level of PM2.5 air pollution will decrease by several percent during Eid," he said.

Also read: Eid homecoming activities increase air pollution

During Eid al-Fitr holiday exodus, most vehicles leave the Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) area heading towards several regions in Java. Generally, the exodus will reduce the level of air pollution in the Jakarta area. However, the burden of this air pollution can be distributed to several regions that become the destination of the homecoming travelers.

Regarding efforts to prevent an increase in air pollution during the Lebaran travel period, KLHK has called on the public to carry out a pollution-free travel. Efforts involved in this include regularly maintaining vehicles and passing emission tests.

KOMPAS/ADRYAN YOGA PARAMADWYA

A queue of vehicles enters the Cikampek Utama Toll Gate heading towards Palimanan in Karawang, West Java, Friday (5/4/2024).

In addition, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has also urged the community who are going on the annual exodus to choose public transportation rather than private vehicles. Choosing public transportation is also more ideal for those who are traveling without their families.

"Currently we have also agreed to change to better fuel. Later there will be Euro 4 emission standard regulations, but in stages, such as in Jakarta first and other areas. "The presence of rain in several areas now can also help to improve air quality," said Sigit.

This change in behavior or public awareness does take a long time.

Previously, a study by the Transdisciplinary Institute at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia (FEB UI), showed that the movement of the community during the Eid al-Fitr holiday period also contributes to the increase of air pollution in Indonesia. This was found after analyzing the level of air pollution from April 12 to 25, 2023, during the 2023 Eid al-Fitr holiday period.

The study also stated that the level of carbon monoxide (CO) in the air during last year's Eid Al-Fitr period increased by an average of 3.1 percent in each district/city in Indonesia. Several travel and tourism destinations, such as South Sumatra, Yogyakarta, and South Kalimantan, became more polluted during the Eid Al-Fitr period.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Several vehicles from the direction of Hotel Indonesia Roundabout passed by the intersection of Jalan MH Thamrin and Jalan Sudirman, Jakarta, which was deserted, on Thursday (11/4/2024). The Sudirman area, which is a bustling business district, turned quieter during the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

Apart from increasing CO, there has also been an increase in other air pollutants. It was stated that NO₂ levels also increased by 6.47 percent, O₃ increased by 1.95 percent, and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) increased by 5 .95 percent. This all resulted from the volume of vehicles going home for Eid 2023 which reached 26.4 million vehicles (BPS 2023) (Kompas.id, 17/4/2024).

Waste management

Apart from air pollution, the tradition of Mudik Lebaran also often leaves waste issues. Therefore, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry continues to remind local governments to implement regulations related to environmental pollution including fines for littering.

According to Sigit, essentially every region has regulations regarding waste management, including sanctions for violators. These regulations should be fully implemented by the local government. On the other hand, local governments are also expected to maximize supervision of environmental management by companies in their area.

Also read: Homecoming and Eid 2024 Have the Potential to Generate 58,000 Tons of Waste

KLHK notes that the potential waste generated from this year's Eid al-Fitr homecoming period is estimated to reach 58 million kilograms or 58,000 tons. This potential is calculated or estimated for a two-week period from the start of the homecoming traffic to the return traffic.

KLHK Waste Management Director Novrizal Tahar says that waste issues still need to focus on the behavior of travelers and the community. Until now, many people still have the habit of littering, including at terminals.

"Changes in behavior or public awareness will take a long time," he said.