Central Java Waste Crisis: 6.3 Million Tonnes Annually, Only 60 Per Cent Managed

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The volume of waste in Central Java (Jateng) reaches approximately 6.3 million tonnes per year, and not all of it is being managed. The provincial government notes that only about 60 per cent of the waste can be processed, while the remainder remains a challenge at the local level. The Governor of Central Java, Ahmad Luthfi, said that the current management capacity is not yet sufficient to handle the entire annual waste generation. “Waste in Central Java is almost 6.36 million tonnes per year. Only about 60 per cent can be processed, and the rest is not being managed optimally. This must be a serious concern for all of us,” said Luthfi after attending a clean-up event in commemoration of National Waste Awareness Day at Jodo Beach, Sidorejo Village, Gringsing District, Batang Regency, Tuesday (24 February 2026). Luthfi reminded that the central government has set a target for Indonesia to achieve zero waste by 2029. This serves as the background for the Jateng ASRI movement (Safe, Healthy, Clean and Beautiful), which aims to strengthen waste management in the region. To map out the issues in detail, Luthfi asked regents and mayors to immediately submit concrete data on waste management in their respective areas. “I will bring this to a meeting at the central level tomorrow,” he said. The Head of the Environmental and Forestry Agency of Central Java Province, Widi Hartanto, explained that one of the strategies being developed is the processing of waste into refuse-derived fuel (RDF). RDF-based processing has been implemented in Cilacap, Banyumas, and Magelang regencies, while waste processing into electrical energy has been operating in Surakarta City. “The Central Java Provincial Government is also initiating collaboration between regions in the transformation of landfills into integrated waste processing facilities (TPST), including cooperation in the provision and utilization of RDF with the cement industry in several regencies/cities,” said Widi.