Jakarta Vice Governor, Rano Karno visited the waste processing facility of Rorotan Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) Plant, North Jakarta, Tuesday (2/25).

Rano Karno was accompanied by Jakarta Regional Secretary, MArullah Matali; Acting Jakarta Regional Secretary's Assistant of Economy and Financial, Suharini Eliawati; Environmental Agency Head, Asep Kuswanto, and Jakarta City Council member, Ida Mahmudah.

The visit was run to respond resident's report related to the odor caused by the Rorotan RDF Plant operation.

"We know about this problem. This new place is still on trial. I did not smell the odor. It is on the inside," Rano said.

Rano admitted Jakarta Provincial Government will try to improve the facility to be perfect. So it can be launched by Jakarta Governor, Pramono Anung in April.

"The road in the front of RDF Plant to be widened to ease the dump truck operation. There will be two access roads," Rano added.

Rano continued that logically it is impossible for garbage not to smell.

"We apologize for this matter," Rano continued.

Rano explained that waste volume in Jakarta reaches almost 8,000 tons per day. Rorotan RDF Plant is able to process 2,500 tons per day. Then Bantargebang Dump Site with similar facility processes 1,000 tons per day.

"It means Jakarta must operate three RDFs. We can not guarantee about the odor. It depends on the wind. But the waste problem can not be solved if we did not do this," Rano explained.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Environmental Agency Head, Asep Kuswanto said the odor is caused by the deodorizer installed at the Rorotan RDF Plant not functioning properly, there is no odor-removing liquid, and the WWTP bacteria to decompose the waste have not grown. Then the filling of activated carbon is still in process. Including the chimney.

"We also installed an air quality monitoring station in the Rorotan RDF Plant area and another one in the surrounding area. Rorotan residents are able to see the air quality value report transparently," he explained.

According to him, his side is not giving compensation fund for residents related with the odor problem just like at Bantargebang TPA.

"We can not give it since the processed waste comes from Jakarta itself," he stated.