Malang— In May-October 2023, Community Service (PENGMAS) activities were carried out by Prof. Dr. Evi Susanti, S.Si., M.Si, and a team consisting of lecturers and students from the Biotechnology Undergraduate Study Program, Department of Applied Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang (UM) as well as Master students from the Chemistry Department, FMIPA UM. This activity was conducted through the 2023 UM Internal Fund Grant under the Partner Village Development Program scheme.

Sujo batik makers from Sumberejo Village, Gedangan District, Malang Regency are under the UM guidance. Since its founding in 2019 until now, batik productivity has increased gradually, as shown by the demand escalation and batik motif diversity. Since 2022, the Biotechnology Study Program has been assisting the processing of the Sujo Batik WWTP to implement green industry principles. Sujo Batik makers understand the dangers of disposing of liquid Batik waste directly into the environment with the 3R concept: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Batik makers have attempted to minimize the amount of waste by reducing the use of dyes and capturing and reusing wax contained in waste.

However, Sujo Batik makers have been unable to process batik liquid waste efficiently. Processing this waste using the coagulation method is less effective because it creates another leftover, which is a long processing time and requires quite ample space. It is necessary to improve the processing of Batik liquid waste which is technically more straightforward without losing its environmentally friendly nature. So at PENGMAS in 2023, the UM Community, especially from the Biotechnology Study Program, Department of Applied Science, FMIPA UM, again provided a solution in training and assistance to process “zero waste” batik liquid waste with mycoremediation techniques through indigenous wood decay mold developed by Prof. Dr. Evi Susanti, S.Si, M.Si research group, who is a UM Professor in the Biochemistry Field.

This community service has 2 main activities, namely outreach regarding “Decolorization of Batik Waste Using Wood Decay Mold: Potential and Sustainability” and the second activity is training and mentoring “Management of liquid batik waste using mycoremediation techniques.” The chairman of this activity was Prof. Dr. Evi Susanti, S.Si., M.Si with executive member Eli Hendrik Sanjaya, S.Si., M.Si. (UM Chemistry), Dr. Retno Wulandari, S.T., M.T. (UM Mechanical Engineering), and Dr. Muh Ade Artasasta, S.Si. (UM Biotechnology), along with student members Shinta Yuliana (UM Chemistry Masters) and Muhammad Ali Murtadho (UM Biotechnology Undergraduate). This activity was conducted face to face in Sumberejo Village, Gedangan District, Malang Regency, attended by all the batik Sujo makers in Sumberejo Village.

The Batik Sujo makers in Sumberejo Village are expected to manage the liquid batik waste produced without producing new waste and be used as a growing medium for ornamental plants. At the same time, this effort supports the 15th Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ” Terrestrial Ecosystems” FMIPA UM: Managing the terrestrial environment sustainably, stopping, and rehabilitating land damage, and stopping biodiversity extinction. On the other hand, this community service activity aims to increase the commodity potential of batik cloth producer partners in Sumberejo Village, Gadingrejo District, Malang Regency, through batik production with a zero-waste concept, will encourage the expansion of the market for written and stamped batik products produced.