Bakom: Landfills Will Be Paralyzed by 2028 Without Proper Management

Head of the Government Communication Agency (Bakom) Muhammad Qodari has predicted that landfill sites in Indonesia will be paralysed by 2028 if there is no integrated waste management. Qodari said President Prabowo Subianto has reminded that the waste problem is a shared issue that must be resolved as soon as possible. According to him, Prabowo has stated that waste handling can no longer rely on old methods. “If we continue to let waste pile up without integrated management, then by 2028 our landfill sites will be completely paralysed due to overcapacity,” Qodari said, as quoted in a press statement on Tuesday, 14 July 2026. Qodari explained that this emergency condition is already visible on the island of Bali, particularly at the Suwung Final Processing Site (TPA). Of the combined waste generation from Denpasar City and Badung Regency, which reaches around 1,600 tonnes per day, more than 72 percent is still disposed of directly into the landfill. Therefore, the government, through the Danantara Indonesia Investment Management Agency, has commenced the construction of the Denpasar Raya Waste-to-Energy Processing Facility (PSEL) in Bali. The groundbreaking for this facility took place on 8 July 2026. This step is the first implementation of Presidential Regulation Number 109 of 2025 concerning Urban Waste Management through Environmentally Friendly Technology-Based Waste-to-Renewable Energy Processing. Qodari is targeting the facility, which has an investment value of IDR 3 trillion, to be operational by the end of 2027. According to him, the PSEL is designed to process up to 1,500 tonnes of waste per day and uses moving grate incinerator technology, which automatically stirs and pushes waste through a high-temperature combustion chamber. He also assessed that this system efficiently reduces waste volume by 80 to 90 percent while simultaneously converting it into electrical energy. Meanwhile, the remaining waste will be handled comprehensively through reduce, reuse, and recycle approaches at the source. “This is not just about constructing a building or machinery, but about building a long-term solution to restore the community’s right to a clean and healthy environment,” Qodari said. Qodari stressed that the facility in Bali will serve as a pioneer and benchmark for other regions in Indonesia. He projected that in the future, PSEL facilities will be present in 34 agglomeration areas to solve waste problems in 60 to 70 regencies/cities across the country. Qodari hopes this policy will bring dual benefits to the community. On one hand, the policy is considered capable of cleaning the environment, reducing waste piles that threaten public health, and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, Qodari said the processed waste will contribute to the supply of clean energy, strengthening domestic energy security sustainably while reducing Indonesia’s dependence on fossil fuels. Furthermore, he also claimed this project will stimulate the domestic economy. Qodari stated that the presence of the PSEL in Denpasar Raya will absorb around 1,200 green jobs, attract green technology investment, and create an economic circulation ecosystem. “The government is fully committed to ensuring that the construction of this facility proceeds quickly and on target,” Qodari said.