Enviro News Asia, Banjarmasin — In commemoration of National Waste Awareness Day (HPSN) 2025, the Ministry of Environment/Environmental Control Agency, in collaboration with various community elements, including the education sector, organized the “Waste-Conscious Lifestyle Campaign” as part of the ASTA Campus & School initiative, centered at Lambung Mangkurat University, South Kalimantan.
With the theme “Collaboration for a Clean Indonesia,” this event serves as a tangible form of synergy between the government, academia, communities, and the business sector to promote awareness and real actions in waste and environmental management.
“Today’s initiative is a strategic step in transforming Indonesia’s environmental landscape and fostering waste-conscious behavior from an early age within educational institutions. This movement marks a national commitment to environmental sustainability starting from a young age,” said Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq at the event’s opening. The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of National Education, the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, as well as the Secretary of South Kalimantan Province. Additionally, government officials from South Kalimantan, district heads from across the province, the Rector and academic community of Lambung Mangkurat University, as well as students and pupils from Banjarmasin, were also present.
Apart from being centered in Banjarmasin, the event was also connected via video conference to seven other universities across Indonesia, namely Cenderawasih University (Papua), Nusa Cendana University (NTT), Pattimura University (Maluku), Hasanuddin University (South Sulawesi), Udayana University (Bali), Brawijaya University (East Java), and Syiah Kuala University (Aceh).
Various stakeholders contributed to the success of this event, including APP Group, which supported the provision of environmental education facilities in the form of segregated waste bins to encourage a minimal-waste lifestyle in campuses and schools.
Beyond environmental initiatives, APP Group also took the opportunity to donate 500 copies of the Quran to Lambung Mangkurat University as part of its social commitment to expanding access to the holy book for Muslim communities. The Quran Waqf Program has been running since 2008, and to date, more than 1.3 million copies of the Quran have been distributed across Indonesia, including to remote areas, educational institutions, religious organizations, and communities.
The distributed Qurans are printed on Quran Paper produced by PT Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper Tbk Tangerang, a subsidiary of APP Group. This specialized paper, designed for religious texts, is halal-certified and has been exported to various Muslim-majority countries.
After symbolically handing over the segregated waste bins and Qurans, APP Group Director Soewarso stated, “Aligned with our commitment to environmental sustainability, we also aim to contribute to fulfilling the spiritual needs of society. We hope our support, both in environmental education and Quran distribution, will benefit the younger generation, fostering individuals who are environmentally conscious and possess strong moral foundations. Our participation in this event is part of a collective effort to build a cleaner, healthier, and sustainable Indonesia.”
The ASTA Campus & School initiative under HPSN 2025 is expected to serve as an exemplary model of effective collaboration between the government, the education sector, and private enterprises in raising environmental awareness while reinforcing social values within society.
