Waste Management Strategy as an Effort to Reduce Emissions Due to Open Waste Burning: Demak Regency Case Study

Abstract

Waste management services in the Demak Regency only reached 35% in 2021, resulting in those without waste management services using outdated waste disposal methods such as littering, river dumping, hoarding, and open waste burning. Open waste burning activities are dangerous to the environment because they produce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, namely carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), causing extreme climate change that affects land productivity. This study aims to develop a waste management plan to reduce emissions from open waste burning in the Demak Regency. A transect walk survey determined the waste burning point and the burned waste composition. IPCC 2006 is the basis for calculating emissions and determining emission-reduction strategies using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). As a result, the projection of open burning of waste in the Demak Regency increases the amount of waste in open burning every year. In 2022, the projected emissions from open burning activities amounted to 48.69 Gg/year, and in 2031 to 55.08 Gg/year. After waste management, the emission rate due to open burning activities in 2022 will be 27.87 Gg/year, and in 2031 will be 31.53 Gg/year. There is a considerable decrease of 42.76%. Therefore, there is excellent potential for emissions reduction through improved waste management.