Universitas Indonesia (UI), through the Center for Sustainability and Waste Management (CSWM), signed a collaboration agreement with the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) of the Republic of Indonesia through the Directorate of Standardization and Quality Control. The signing was held at the Main Building Showroom Meeting Room, Ciracas East Jakarta, on Wednesday, July 31, by the Head of Special Work Unit of CSWM UI, Prof. Mochamad Chalid, and the Director of Standardization and Quality Control Kemendag RI, Matheus Hendro Purnomo.
Matheus Hendro hoped that through this collaboration, UI and Kemendag RI could synergize to ensure that regulation regarding consumer protection can benefit society. “We hope that this collaboration can strengthen and help ensure that applicable regulations serve as a credible source of information for the circulation of information among the public and support the standardization of consumer protection in Indonesia,” he said.
According to Prof. Chalid, this collaboration is a response to mandatory registration of goods related to Safety, Health, and Environment (K3L) imposed by the Indonesian Government. This policy was made to protect consumers from goods containing hazardous chemicals through mandatory registration of products without Indonesian National Standards (SNI).
Even so, he emphasized the need for a deeper study so that this policy does not hinder innovation. “With this policy, an important question emerges, can the K3L registration process hinder innovation? That is why, even if consumer safety is a priority, potentially beneficial product development should not be hampered,” said Prof. Chalid.
This collaboration aims to simplify the K3L registration process by focusing on products containing hazardous chemicals. Through the project led by Adream Bais Junior, the representative of CSWM UI, identification will be done especially regarding the harmful effects and potential migration of hazardous materials to consumers.
In this case, CSWM UI contributes to improving regulations according to the Law of the Republic of Indonesia No. 7 of 2014 on consumer safety. Improvement was done in three things, namely comprehensive risk assessment, identification of crucial quality parameters, and establishment of stringent safety standards.
CSWM UI is an institution established as a form of UI’s commitment to increasing contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially on the issue of the environment. This institution is engaged in community service and devotion. Through its main business in the form of study, consultation, and training, CSWM UI provides expert advice, research, and training for organizations, governments, and communities to support the transition toward a more sustainable future.
