DKI Environment Agency Permanently Closes Temporary Waste Site at Tanah Kusir Cemetery

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The DKI Jakarta Environment Agency (Dinas Lingkungan Hidup) has permanently closed the temporary waste site (emplacement) along the Pesanggrahan River at Tanah Kusir Public Cemetery (TPU), Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta, which had been operational since 2014. “Therefore, as of today, we are closing the emplacement at Tanah Kusir Public Cemetery, and we hope this serves as our commitment to continue preserving the environment,” said Head of the DKI Jakarta Environment Agency, Asep Kuswanto, when met at the Tanah Kusir Public Cemetery in South Jakarta on Friday. Representing the DKI Environment Agency, Asep also expressed apologies regarding a viral social media post about a waste truck (minidump) appearing to dump rubbish into the river. He thanked the public for their input, which has served as a lesson to continuously improve waste management in Jakarta. “The emplacement specifically at Tanah Kusir Public Cemetery has been in place since 2014, and it was one of the first emplacements used in DKI Jakarta,” Asep stated. He explained the function of the emplacement as a temporary storage site for waste originating from water bodies, not household waste. There were approximately six minidumps deployed at the emplacement. The waste was then transferred using an excavator. Subsequently, the waste would be transported back using minidumps to the Simatupang landfill or the Integrated Waste Processing Site (TPST) Bantargebang for final processing. The DKI Environment Agency deployed standby personnel, six waste trucks (minidumps), and one excavator during the waste relocation process, with the waste weighing approximately six tonnes in a 12-cubic-metre location. Thus, the DKI Environment Agency has ensured that no waste dumping activities into the Pesanggrahan River occur in the Tanah Kusir Public Cemetery area in South Jakarta, as depicted in the viral video on social media platform Threads. Although located near the Pesanggrahan River, the waste relocation process was conducted in a designated area and confirmed not to come into contact with the water body. The circulating video was likely taken from a roadside perspective, creating the perception that waste was being dumped into the river.