Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
To encourage people to make adjustments to their lifestyles, the central government will bring in a policy concerning the promotion of eco-friendly goods and services by the state.
The green procurement policy is aimed at encouraging companies to produce environmentally friendly products that meet criteria set by the government.
"We will use government offices to promote and market eco-products, which will comprise a significant contribution to the protection of the environment," Euis Ekawati, the head of the State Ministry for the Environment's environmental management system, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
She said the use of green products would be made mandatory in an article added to the 2003 presidential decree on procurement procedures for goods and services.
"We hope to add the new article this year."
Government offices are significant purchasers in the country.
The categories of goods and services include paper and electronic appliances such as copying machines, personal computers, television sets, air conditioners and lighting, as well as the services of hotels and transportation providers.
She said government offices, for example, should only use transportation services that used unleaded gasoline and low emission vehicles.
The ministry has established criteria governing eco-friendly certification for some products, including printing paper, textiles, leather products, shoes and tissue paper.
However, there are currently only a few paper products, mostly aimed for export, that have applied the eco-label certification.
Euis said many of the companies operating in Indonesia paid little attention to the green criteria.
"However, everywhere you go, products are advertised as being green. But those claims are not regulated yet. They are just self-declared claims."
She said companies were permitted to make self-declared environmental claims, including statements, symbols and graphics. But products that only meet one of the criteria -- such as the use of recycled raw materials -- are not permitted to carry the label.
The ISO 14020 on the International Standard for Self-Declared Environmental Claims Type I Eco-labeling specifies claim requirements.
Euis said eco-friendly products were judged to be better for the environment.
"Green products have a reduced impact on the environment over their life cycle."
She said producing more green products would improve energy and water efficiency, reduce waste and support reuse and recycling, and limit the production of hazardous and toxic waste.
Euis said public and private companies were expected to follow suit.
"We hope all consumers will take environmental factors into account when selecting products or services."
The ministry earlier warned the public to be more vigilant for market abuses and seek documented verification of green claims.
It said there were about 100 products sold in local markets under the eco-friendly label.
The Indonesian Consumers Foundation has said many companies use the eco-friendly label as a selling point, following international trends.
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