WNAM REPORT: Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq aims to halt waste imports into Indonesia starting this year, citing concerns about increased waste management burdens and negative health impacts.
He made this announcement during a visit to the Bantargebang Integrated Waste Management Site in Bekasi, West Java, on Sunday.
Moving forward, the Ministry of Environment will require waste-exporting countries or parties to process their waste within Indonesia rather than simply shipping it to the country.
“So far, no one has been able to guarantee that the imported waste is fully decomposed, so we have decided to stop it,” he explained.
Halting waste imports aligns with the government’s commitment to protect public health, promote environmental sustainability, and accelerate the green economy.
Nurofiq stated that over the next five years, his ministry will prioritize managing domestic waste, which has exceeded the country’s processing capacity.
According to data from the National Waste Management Information System (SIPSN), in 2023, approximately 38.21 percent of the total 38.2 million tons of waste remained unmanaged.
To address this issue, improving waste management at Bantargebang—the country’s largest waste management site, covering 117.5 hectares—has become a primary focus for the ministry.
Data from the Jakarta Environment Office shows that the Bantargebang site currently holds over 55 million tons of waste and receives between 7,500 and 8,000 tons daily from Jakarta.
The Ministry of Environment plans to convert various types of waste at Bantargebang, including plastic, paper, and food waste, into compost and fuel.
“The success at Bantargebang will be replicated in other regions, and it will be easier once waste imports are stopped,” Nurofiq stated.
