Garbage is an environmental problem that is quite crucial in today's era. In addition to causing a dirty environment, garbage can cause unpleasant odors and can threaten the health of the surrounding community. In the city of Semarang, for example, based on data in 2016, ATLAS City produces approximately 1,200 tons of waste per day.
The facilities provided by the Semarang City Government for the community are in the form of trash cans and then the waste is distributed to the Temporary Disposal Site (TPS) which is then to the Jatibarang Final Disposal Site (TPA). However, not all areas in Semarang City have facilities for trash cans or trash cans container to accommodate residents' waste as well as waste distribution services to the Final Disposal Site by the Semarang City Government, one of which is Dukuh Kaum, Jabungan Village.
As a result, the waste problem in the hamlet is not handled wisely. Garbage is scattered in the yard of residents' houses, while they collect garbage and then burn it. In fact, burning waste causes bad impacts for the community and the environment such as coughing, shortness of breath, dizziness and cancer because the results of burning waste contain dioxide and furan substances. In addition, carbon dioxide gas produced from burning waste will cause the ozone layer to thin so that the earth's temperature will be hotter which has an impact on disrupting life on earth.
Guidance in order to change the mindset and behavior of the Dukuh Kaum Community, Jabungan, Semarang City in dealing with plastic waste needs to be done, namely by holding a waste bank program. The waste bank program is a very solution solution for waste problems. Waste bank activities consist of sorting waste according to its type, such as newspapers, paper, duplex, plastic bottles, plastic cups, food and beverage packaging, aluminum, iron, used cans, etc. and the community will receive economic rewards in the form of money as a result of selling their waste to the waste bank. Furthermore, the waste will be sold to collectors by the waste bank and can be processed into goods that have a selling value. From there, the waste bank program will form a culture of sorting out waste by the community. Thus, the waste that was previously only disposed of and burned by the Dukuh Kaum Community, Jabungan can be handled wisely.
The management of the Garbage Bank in Dukuh Kaum, Jabungan has been formed with the assistance of the PKM – M Team for the Clean Route of the Semarang State Polytechnic called the Jabungan Resik Trash Bank. The PKM – M Resik team consists of Larasita Prameswari, Ivana Rizki Aulia, Ahmad Lufi Alfianul 'Ula, Novia Aulia Nor Fitryan, and Arsyan Dhimas Setyawan. This waste bank was inaugurated some time ago, chaired by Ms. Sutarti as Director I and Ms. Sumi as Director II. The organizational structure at the Jabungan Route Resik Waste Bank consists of a secretary, treasurer, regional coordinator for each RT, waste sorting division, public relations division, weighing division, marketing division, and bookkeeping division. So that the total management of the Jabungan Resik Waste Bank Route is 20 people. Not to forget, this waste bank also cooperates with collectors. To increase the enthusiasm of the residents in sorting waste, each household gets a sack.
The inaugural implementation of the waste bank activity was carried out in the courtyard of the House of Director II of the Jabungan Resik Waste Bank Route, namely Mrs. Sumi. Waste bank activities consist of absent waste bank management, data collection of new customers, weighing of waste, recapitulation of waste types and calculation of nominal money earned by residents from selling waste to customer savings books and recap books. Garbage is sorted which is then sold to collectors and processed to be used as tents camping and ecobricks. Tent camping is an innovation in processing plastic waste and ecobricks will utilize pieces of plastic waste so that it does not become waste that is not used. The waste that is stored for processing is plastic bottles, food and beverage packaging, and crackle plastic. In addition, the waste will be sold to collectors. Based on the agreement with the residents, the implementation of the waste bank in Dukuh Kaum, Jabungan will be held once a month and saving money is taken every three months. With the implementation of the waste bank program, people will get used to sorting waste and saving in the waste bank, so that the habit of collecting and burning waste will be slowly abandoned. Thus, a clean environment will be realized and can improve the economy of Dukuh Kaum residents.