Technology Adaptation and Assimilation of Takakura for Promoting Environmental Protection in Surabaya (Indonesia) Through City Level Cooperation

Abstract

Surabaya, the second largest cities in Indonesia, has a long history in community-based solid waste management (CBSWM). Since 1990, the city has won a number of Adipura Awards at national level and international recognitions including the Honor City by UNCED in 1992 and the UNEP Award in 1990. In partnership with the Japan’s Kitakyushu International Techno-cooperative Association (KITA), since 1990s the Surabaya municipality has started composting program called “Takakura” by constructing about 16 compost houses to reduce organic waste. By 2011, about 30 % of reduction of waste was achieved at the Benowo landfill. To date, there are over 40,000 takakuras and about 900 composters freely distributed to local communities. Approximately 400 city environmental facilitators and 28,000 environmental cadres have been involved. Presently almost 30 % of kitchen waste is reduced due to community participation. This chapter discusses the evolvement of innovation facilitated by cooperation between two localities. Different from bilateral national level cooperation, local-local cooperation can lead to direct experiences at the ground-level, as people from both cities work together to attain the same target of waste reduction.