MEDAN: The Consul General of Japan in Medan, Furugori Toru, visited the Integrated Waste Processing Facility (Tempat Pengolahan Sampah Terpadu/TPST) of Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), located in the Gate IV area, on Wednesday (10/19/2025).

The Consul General was welcomed by the management of TPST USU, namely Zaid Pradana Nasution, S.T., M.T., Ph.D., as Chair of TPST USU; Dr. Eng. Ir. Hafizhul Khair, A.M., S.T., M.T., as Vice Chair; along with four TPST USU assistants consisting of Alwi Siddiq (area coordinator), Panelis Zai, Muhammad Fauzan, and Dally Raj Singh. Also present in the welcoming group was Sultan Deli Mahmud Lamanjiji Perkasa Alam, who is also a lecturer in the Environmental Engineering Study Program at USU.

The visit by the Japanese Consul General was intended to directly observe and examine the entire waste processing process carried out at TPST USU. He listened enthusiastically to the explanations delivered by the TPST Team and carefully observed each stage of the ongoing processing. These stages ranged from sorting and shredding to the processing of household and industrial waste into useful products using the equipment available at the facility. He also showed great interest in observing the maggot life cycle and its functions, as well as the maggot-based products produced at TPST.

Zaid Pradana, as Chair of TPST USU, expressed his hope that the visit by the Japanese Consul General would provide inspiration to further develop waste management systems into more beneficial products. This expectation is based on the fact that Japan is widely recognized as one of the countries that prioritizes cleanliness and environmental governance, supported by various impactful innovative practices.