Controversy over Compost Centre in Penarungan: Badung DLHK Finally Meets Residents
The Badung Environment and Cleanliness Service (DLHK) met with representatives from Penarungan Village, Mengwi Subdistrict, to explain the technical aspects of placing organic waste clippings on the government-owned land intended for Taman Bung Karno. The meeting, held at the Wantilan Pura Dalem of the Penarungan Adat Village on Saturday night (11/4/2026), was a response to the delivery of compost materials without prior socialisation.
“We request it in writing regarding what DLHK has conveyed about the compost centre at this prospective park. If that’s not available yet, we cannot accept Penarungan as the next storage site for compost materials,” said the Head of Adat Penarungan, I Made Widiada, during the meeting on Saturday night.
Residents of Banjar Adat Blungbang are the most affected party since the compost centre location is in their area. Although DLHK argued that this step was taken due to the emergency waste situation, residents still demand clear technical radius limits to avoid disturbing sacred areas.
“It must be clear how wide, how large, how deep the management will be. Please study it in writing so it doesn’t cause public concern, especially regarding odour,” requested Widiada.
The adat village side also questioned the certainty of the duration for using the 5-hectare land as a compost processing site. This is crucial to provide understanding to residents and explain that waste will not be left in open spaces to prevent broader rejections in the future.
“It’s said to be temporary while waiting for the PSEL, but temporary until when? Until 2027, 2028, or until the Regent’s term ends? Please clarify this,” Widiada emphasised.
Currently, residents are asking DLHK Badung to stop all activities of delivering organic materials to the site after it started on 3 April. Activities can resume only if there is a technical agreement that guarantees the comfort and cleanliness of the residential environment.
After the meeting, Made Widiada acknowledged that the residents’ complaints are not without reason. Besides the open space location bordering sacred areas, the organic material placement site is close to many eateries that will be directly affected by the pungent smell, thus worrying about long-term environmental comfort.
In addition to urging a study, Widiada stated that residents also request a commitment from the government regarding the management of the compost materials that have already piled up. Therefore, further compost deliveries should be stopped first until there is a firm agreement with residents.
“For now, just handle that (the existing pile), until there is a study. After the study is done, I will socialise it to the community, then work can resume. So it’s clear first. Prepare the site first,” he asserted.
In response, Acting Head of DLHK Badung, I Made Agus Aryawan, stated that they will soon prepare a technical description to be presented and discussed with residents. They will schedule a follow-up meeting to outline solutions to the concerns raised by residents.
He claimed that the discussion atmosphere began to soften after the service provided explanations on the urgency of the waste emergency. The technical team is now preparing land mapping to determine which points will be used as the compost centre without conflicting with residents’ aspirations.
“I have given explanations to the community leaders of Penarungan Adat Village, and initially they were firm in rejecting it. But after providing technical considerations, the village officials agreed to jointly formulate the on-site conditions and map out which areas will be used,” said the Assistant for Economy and Development of the Badung Regional Secretariat.
Regarding the land use timeframe, DLHK explained that this scheme depends on the completion of the Waste Processing into Electricity (PSEL) project in Pedungan, Denpasar. During this transition process, tactical steps are still being taken to prevent the waste problem in Badung from piling up further.
“We have conveyed that we cannot yet give a monthly or quarterly timeframe, but the big scheme is that we are heading towards the PSEL, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2027. Before that, we continue to take tactical steps for handling this waste emergency,” Agus concluded.