Banten Environment Agency Urges Landfill Operators to Routinely Douse Waste to Prevent Fires
The Banten Environment Agency (DLH) has requested that operators of final processing sites (TPA) anticipate fires to prevent incidents like the one at Jatiwaringin in Tangerang Regency. It urged landfill operators to routinely water down the waste.
"We already have a circular from the Governor, an appeal to regents and mayors to anticipate fire mitigation preparedness. In this El Niño season, there must be prevention, watering," said Head of the Banten Environment Agency Wawan Gunawan on 16 July 2026.
Watering prevents the waste from drying out and becoming easily combustible. Additionally, gas within the waste piles can cause fires to spread rapidly.
"In this El Niño season, it must not dry out, there must be wetting," Wawan said.
Furthermore, Wawan asked officers to ensure that no residents burn waste around the landfill.
"There must be no burning. I mean burning by the nearby community, it will spread. Because it contains methane gas," he stated.
He noted that seven landfills in Banten still use open dumping and urged a shift to controlled landfill management.
"Waste that has already piled up should at least be managed as a controlled landfill first. Ideally, during this hot season, it should be levelled and covered with soil," he said.
Previously, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) stated that the main area of the Jatiwaringin landfill in Mauk District, Tangerang Regency, Banten, affected by fire covering approximately 15 hectares, had finally been extinguished. The fire was put out after 10 days.
Quoted from the Antara news agency on Friday (10/7), BNPB Head of Data, Information, and Disaster Communication Abdul Muhari said the fire was successfully extinguished thanks to the hard work and collaboration of the joint emergency response team since the incident was reported on 30 June until Thursday (9/7) evening.
"The main area of the Jatiwaringin landfill covering approximately 15 hectares affected by the fire has been reported as 100 percent extinguished and is currently in an intensive cooling phase," he said.