Beyond Four Laundries in Bogor, Other Polluters of Bekasi River Sought

The Ministry of Environment (KLH) has sealed four laundry service companies suspected of polluting the Bekasi River. A joint team is still searching for other parties believed to be involved in contaminating the Bekasi River flow.

“Today the KLH PPKL team, accompanied by the Bekasi City Environmental Agency (PPLH) and the Katak Team, went down to conduct another survey,” said Bekasi City Environmental Agency (DLH) Head Kiswatiningsih to reporters on Thursday (20/8/2026).

The four laundry businesses were sealed by KLH on Tuesday (18/8). The suspected pollution occurred in the upstream area of the Bekasi River, namely in Bogor Regency.

“KLH sealed 4 laundry service companies (all part of textile industry activities in Bogor Regency) that have water pollution potential,” she said.

From today until Friday (21/8), KLH will conduct deeper monitoring of the four laundry service companies. It is possible that other parties will be subject to action in connection with the pollution of this waterway.

“A re-investigation is currently being carried out today,” she said.

She said the handling of the Bekasi River pollution is being carried out by the central government through KLH and regional governments through the Bogor Regency DLH, Bekasi City DLH, and West Java Provincial DLH.

She said the KLH Monitoring Team collected data and information (puldasi) on Wednesday to Saturday (12-15/8). The team also took wastewater samples at upstream and downstream points of the Cileungsi River as well as at the outfalls of the four companies.

In a video circulating on social media, large amounts of foam can be seen covering part of the Bekasi River surface. In addition, the water in the Bekasi River located in Bekasi City appears blackened.

Residents reported that an unpleasant odour was also emanating from the river water. This incident is the latest in a series of suspected pollution events in the Bekasi River.