Environmental Sustainability and Public Health
Today, the Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management and Partnership (USAID SELARAS) was officially launched by the Indonesian government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Waste management presents serious health and environmental problems, including plastic pollution of the oceans and other rivers, therefore both Indonesia and the US have a stake in finding solutions. Enhancing the quality of life for residents, reducing environmental harm, and promoting recycling will all help create a more sustainable future through better solid waste management and higher recycling rates. With the goal of reducing land-based sources of ocean plastic pollution and methane—a strong greenhouse gas—USAID SELARAS is a five-year programme with a maximum funding of $24.7 million. It does this by encouraging sustainable and integrated solid waste management. Eighteen cities and districts in the provinces of North Sumatra, Banten, Central Java, East Java, East Kalim