Dudi Gardesi Appointed Head of Environmental Agency, Faces Jakarta's Waste Challenge

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung inaugurated 11 high-ranking officials at City Hall on Wednesday (15/4/2026). Dudi Gardesi Asikin has been entrusted to lead the Jakarta Environmental Agency (DLH), succeeding Asep Kuswanto, who now serves as Assistant Deputy Governor for spatial planning. “There is also the Head of the Environmental Agency and his Deputy, with Mr Dudi Gardesi promoted to Head,” Pramono stated after the inauguration. He emphasised that these appointments aim to prevent vacancies or the designation of acting heads. “Hopefully, this choice is the best for Jakarta,” he added. With his new role, Dudi is immediately confronted with a major unresolved issue: Jakarta’s waste problem. The Bantargebang Integrated Waste Processing Site (TPST) remains the primary reliance. However, its capacity is increasingly limited, while incoming waste volume exceeds 7,000 tonnes per day. This situation leads to ongoing operational disruptions, including a landslide that occurred in March 2026. Furthermore, Bantargebang’s operational lifespan is said to last only until 2026, adding pressure to find long-term solutions promptly. Several measures have been taken to reduce this burden. One of them involves operating a waste processing facility based on refuse derived fuel (RDF). The Rorotan RDF Plant has begun operations with an initial capacity of around 300 tonnes per day, to be gradually increased to 1,000 tonnes per day.