A California-based company Paneltech US Corp aims to invest in managing waste into environmentally friendly building materials in Indonesia. With a focus on green technology, the company intends to build factories in Yogyakarta and Bali – as pilot projects.
If these succeed, the Paneltech US Corp will expand its operations by establishing factories in other regions across Indonesia.
In a recent statement, the CEO of Paneltech US Corp Leiven Tsai highlighted that the company was established in 2020 with the mission to offer environmentally friendly solutions for global distribution.
“Over the past few years, we have succeeded in creating a diverse portfolio of sustainable technologies that have been integrated into our unified green solutions,” Leiven said, in a release.
Regarding this matter, Indonesian Investment Minister Bahlil Lahdalia expressed a warm welcome to Paneltech US Corp’s investment in Indonesia. He further emphasized the potential of Paneltech technology and products in addressing waste management challenges, curbing carbon emissions, and mitigating deforestation.
In addition, Indonesia also has the opportunity to generate additional foreign exchange earnings by exporting Paneltech products abroad.
Meanwhile, Deputy for Investment Planning at the Investment Ministry Nurul Ichwan stated that they have scheduled a follow-up meeting with the company. “We will have more detailed discussions about this investment plan. We will also coordinate with various relevant parties and local governments,” Ichwan added.
Unveiling Indonesia’s national waste statistics
Indonesia has significant potential to create environmentally friendly construction materials, given the continuous upward trend in national waste production each year.
The Environment and Forestry Ministry recorded that the total national waste in 2021 reached 68.5 million tons, with approximately 17 percent or around 11.6 million tons consisting of plastic waste. This figure is higher than the previous year’s 11 percent.
In 2022, the total national waste increased once again to reach 70 million tons. The waste that remains unmanaged by the Directorate General of Waste Management, Hazardous, and Toxic Substances (PSLB3) currently stands at around 24 percent or 16 million tons.
Unfortunately, out of the 69 percent of waste that enters the Final Processing Sites (TPA), only seven percent undergoes recycling.
Indonesia significantly trails behind countries such as Malaysia and Singapore in terms of waste management process. The unmanaged waste volume in Indonesia reaches a staggering 16 million tons, underscoring the urgent need for improvement.
Paneltech’s environmentally friendly production system
As a bio-solutions company, Paneltech US Corp’s efforts may include investing in managing waste and transforming it into environmentally friendly building materials. The company may also explore the adoption of green technology in their operations, such as in the construction of factories or production facilities.
Currently, Paneltech operates a factory located in Taiwan. The company produces panel boards, which are made from waste materials, intended for use in construction purposes such as walls, parquet flooring, and furniture as a substitute for wood.
In addition, Paneltech holds patents related to the processing of plastic waste, electronic waste, organic waste, and contaminated waste into energy and similar forms.
To market its products, Paneltech has established market networks in Europe and the US including retail giant Walmart.
