Indonesia Faces Waste Emergency in 60 Cities, Government Aims for Two-Year Solution

Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan has declared a waste emergency in approximately 60 major Indonesian cities, with the Bandung Raya area being a significant concern. He stated that Bandung Raya alone generates nearly 2,000 tons of waste daily, necessitating urgent attention.

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Bandung Raya, Pak Gubernur, this produces almost two thousand tons of waste in one day, so it has entered the emergency category, and this emergency is not only Bandung Raya. Jakarta, South Tangerang, almost sixty cities are in emergency and that causes extraordinary problems.

The government has set a two-year target to address these emergencies through accelerated waste management, including the development of waste-to-energy facilities. Zulkifli Hasan emphasized that waste management is a shared responsibility between the government and the public, crucial for environmental and public health.

To expedite the development of waste-to-energy projects, which have been hindered by limited permits for over a decade, the government is simplifying regulations. The plan targets 24 priority locations across the affected cities. While waste-to-energy can process about 22 percent of waste, other technologies will be explored for areas with smaller waste volumes.

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Therefore, the Food Affairs Minister was assigned, given time to be able to complete the emergency ones first, at the latest two years, Mr. Governor.

Beyond facility development, the government is promoting waste reduction at the source. This includes encouraging the separation of organic and non-organic waste in households, markets, schools, and shopping centers. The goal is to resolve at least 80 percent of waste at its origin by 2029, lessening the burden on landfills.

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So the problematic waste we will turn into electricity. Alhamdulillah, there are already sixty cities and twenty-four places that we will complete, including here in Bandung Raya.