Balikpapan — Institut Teknologi Kalimantan (ITK), through its Community Service team, has introduced an appropriate technology innovation to support plastic waste management at Margo Mulyo Waste Bank in Balikpapan. The team modified a plastic shredding machine from a manual crank system to an electric starter, making the machine easier to operate and reducing the initial physical effort required.

Led by Dwi Aneka Kartini, S.T., M.T., together with Eka Pratiwi Briant Pakiding, S.T., M.Sc. and Windi Auliana, S.T., M.T., the program focused not only on modifying the machine but also on developing standard operating procedures (SOPs), providing operational demonstrations, promoting workplace safety, and introducing the utilization of shredded plastic.

From Manual Crank to Electric Starter

The modification was carried out because the previous crank system required considerable physical effort and was less practical for repeated use. The team cleaned the machine, inspected its components, carried out necessary repairs, installed the electric starter system, and conducted functional tests to ensure that the machine operated properly.

With the new system, the machine is expected to be easier and more consistently used to support plastic waste sorting and processing at the community level.

Equipped with SOPs and Safety Education

To ensure safe operation, the team also provided SOPs covering machine inspection, waste sorting, plastic washing and drying, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), starting procedures, the shredding process, handling blockages, and machine cleaning.

Participants were also educated on the importance of workplace safety when operating the technology, including the use of gloves, masks, and other protective equipment.

Turning Shredded Plastic into Value-Added Products

The resulting shredded plastic was introduced as a decorative material for making resin-based keychains. This pilot product demonstrates how plastic waste can be transformed into materials with practical and visual value.

Although still at an early stage, this initiative opens opportunities for developing creative waste-based products according to the needs and capacity of the community.

Participants’ Understanding Increased by 20 Percentage Points

The effectiveness of the program was evaluated through pre-tests and post-tests. The results showed that the participants’ average score increased from 79 percent in the pre-test to 99 percent in the post-test, representing a 20-percentage-point improvement.

The improvement was observed in participants’ understanding of plastic waste types and impacts, the length of time plastic takes to decompose, and the stages involved in processing waste into value-added products.

Promoting Sustainable Waste Management

To ensure the program’s sustainability, the ITK team recommends having at least two trained operators who understand the operation and maintenance of the machine. The partner community is also encouraged to monitor machine usage, the volume of shredded plastic, operational issues, and compliance with the SOPs.

Through this program, ITK demonstrates that technological innovation can begin by addressing simple yet real challenges faced by communities. By combining a more practical machine system with education, workplace safety, and the utilization of shredded plastic, the initiative is expected to strengthen community-based waste management that is safe, independent, and sustainable.

ITK Makes an Impact, from Bumi Etam to the Nation.