inp.polri.go.id - Lahat. The South Sumatra Regional Police inaugurated the Mobile Waste Bank, an initiative of the Lahat Sub-regional Police, by the South Sumatra Regional Police Chief, Inspector General Sandi Nugroho, during a working visit on Sunday (5/17/2026).
The program, initiated directly by the Lahat Sub-regional Police Chief, Superintendent Novi Ediyanto, promotes the concept of integrated waste management using the Transport-Segregate-Process method.
The presence of the Mobile Waste Bank is not merely a step towards maintaining environmental cleanliness, but also a breakthrough in empowering the community's economy at the grassroots level.
Lahat Sub-regional Police Chief, Superintendent Novi Ediyanto, explained that this initiative arose from their desire to provide real solutions to environmental problems while simultaneously supporting the daily economic well-being of residents.
"Through this Mobile Waste Bank outreach system, we want to educate the public that properly managed waste is not waste, but rather an asset that can be a blessing. People can directly save their waste and convert it into money. In the future, we are developing a system so that these savings can be directly exchanged for basic necessities," said Novi, Monday (5/18/2026).
The Mobile Waste Bank's operating system is designed to be professional and transparent. Household waste, both organic and inorganic, that has been sorted by people will be weighed by officers.
The weighing results are then converted into money and directly recorded in the customer's Mobile Waste Bank savings account.
The disbursement system is also very flexible. Customers can withdraw their savings in cash, save them for long-term investment, or transfer them through a digital payment system.
On the other hand, the waste collection fleet will proactively reach residential areas not yet covered by the Waste Bank Unit.
The added value of this innovation lies in its sustainable waste management system, which is integrated with the central government's priority programs. The collected organic waste is not wasted, but rather used as a medium for cultivating maggots or Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae. These highly nutritious maggots are then processed into alternative feed for catfish farming.
"We have deliberately integrated this organic waste processing with the food security sector. The catfish harvest from this maggot cultivation will be projected to supply local food needs, and support the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program," explained Novi.
Meanwhile, for inorganic waste management, the Lahat Sub-regional Police neatly repackage it for delivery to the industrial sector for recycling into new, high-value products.
This Mobile Waste Bank innovation is concrete evidence that the police's presence in Lahat is not only focused on security and order, but also transforms into a dynamic driver of the local economy.
Through education and sustainable facilities, it is hoped that public awareness of environmental sustainability will continue to increase, while simultaneously creating a clean, healthy, and productive regional ecosystem.
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