Environment Minister: Waste-to-Energy Plants Will Be Clean Like Malls, Not Piles of Trash

Indonesia's Minister of Environment and Forestry, Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat, has asserted that the development of Waste-to-Energy (PSEL) facilities represents a significant shift towards modernizing national waste management. He emphasized that these facilities will be designed to be clean, orderly, and free from the odors typically associated with conventional final waste processing sites (TPAs).

"What must be remembered is that once the PSEL is complete, there will be no smell at all and it will not resemble the Final Processing Sites (TPAs) that people have seen so far. Instead, it will look like a clean and beautiful mall," Jumhur stated during a coordination meeting on accelerating strategic national PSEL projects in Makassar on Wednesday (August 5, 2026).

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What must be remembered is that once the PSEL is complete, there will be no smell at all and it will not resemble the Final Processing Sites (TPAs) that people have seen so far. Instead, it will look like a clean and beautiful mall.

Beyond PSEL, the Ministry of Environment is exploring alternative waste processing technologies, such as refuse-derived fuel (RDF), to convert waste into a substitute for coal in industrial applications. Governor of South Sulawesi, Andi Sudirman Sulaiman, affirmed the provincial government's readiness to provide optimal locations to support the construction of PSEL facilities serving agglomeration areas.

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I ask all regional governments, both regencies and cities, to be vigilant about TPA fire disasters. Deploy firefighters to wet the TPA areas, because the waste in TPAs contains high methane gas. Ensure no one burns trash carelessly or smokes carelessly there.

Jumhur also cautioned regional governments about the heightened risk of landfill fires during the dry season, which is expected to persist until November. He highlighted the high methane gas content in landfills as a contributing factor to fire hazards if not properly managed. "I ask all regional governments, both regencies and cities, to be vigilant about TPA fire disasters. Deploy firefighters to wet the TPA areas, because the waste in TPAs contains high methane gas. Ensure no one burns trash carelessly or smokes carelessly there," he urged.

During his visit to South Sulawesi, Jumhur inspected the Tamangapa Antang TPA and its leachate treatment facility. He commended the implementation of the controlled landfill method and the utilization of methane gas, which is processed and distributed to the surrounding community. "The Mayor's work is okay. It's about 90 percent complete, in line with the Ministry of Environment's expectations. I think this is quite good and can be emulated by other cities in Indonesia," Jumhur added.

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The Mayor's work is okay. It's about 90 percent complete, in line with the Ministry of Environment's expectations. I think this is quite good and can be emulated by other cities in Indonesia.