Waste management is an important public utility, especially in urban areas. With the increase in population and the expansion of economic activities in developing countries in Asia, the current annual waste generation in East Asia and the Pacific is about 207 million tons. World Bank projections to 2025 indicate that solid waste per capita is expected to increase from 0.95 kg per capita per day to 1.5 kg per capita per day by 2025.
Diverting solid waste from landfills and making RDF as an alternative fuel has become an environmentally, socially and economically viable option in Japan and European countries. RDF originates from solid waste as well as industrial waste. Consisting of paper, plastic, textiles and other organic waste, this waste is a potential source of energy that can replace some of the use of fossil fuels.
Indonesia has one of the fastest growing populations in the world. In order to further promote the production and utilization of RDF, the Indonesian government has formulated some supporting policies for RDF production. The Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry published guidelines for the production and utilization of RDF in the cement industry in 2016. This guide describes the preferred options in biological drying, mechanical and biological treatment facilities and discusses factors that affect RDF fuel quality, such as calorific value, chlorine and moisture content, among others.
