REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian Retail Association has agreed to start charging Rp200 for the use of a plastic bag as a container at shopping centers to decrease plastic waste.

"All modern retail stores will start a trial for the program from February 21 till June as the Ministry of Forestry and Environment has published a letter about controlling plastic waste," the Chairman of the Association, Roy Mandey said in a press release received here on Thursday.

Roy further said the association has chosen the fixed date in conjunction with the National Waste Care Day.

The organization has suggested to the ministry that the program should be completed in a modest way to support a controlled and smooth implementation across all Indonesian regions.

He said the government must conduct dissemination and education relating to the policy before it being implemented.

However, the association noted that all stake holders must work together to change the habit of using plastic bags.

"We knew that the Ministry of Forestry and Environment has started the campaign on limiting the use of plastic that has become a part of the trade process. We hope for a positive response from the people," Roy added.

According to him, retail companies are also aware of the negative impact of plastic waste in the long term.

"It has been a long time since retail companies have started using environmentally friendly plastic bags that are easy to decompose," Roy said.

The association will utilize the fund, gathered from the selling plastic bags, for a corporate social responsibility program, which will involve cooperation from each regional government for the waste management program.

The association also noted at least 22 cities had committed to support the paid plastic bag policy.

The regions that have supported the program, are Jakarta, Bandung, Bekasi, Depok, Bogor, Tangerang, Solo, Semarang, Surabaya, Denpasar, Palembang, Medan, Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Makassar, Ambon, Papua, Jayapura, Pekanbaru, Banda Aceh, Kendari, and Yogyakarta.

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