East Java named best province for waste management and green environment
The East Java Provincial Government has been named Best Province in the Waste Management and Green Environment category at the 2026 Local Government Achievement Awards in Bali.
“Alhamdulillah, the hard work, commitment and concern of all parties and the community have earned appreciation from the central government,” said East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa in a statement received in Surabaya on Saturday.
Khofifah said the award was the result of joint efforts by all elements of society in maintaining cleanliness and environmental sustainability in East Java.
She also thanked the entire community as well as state and private senior high schools, vocational schools and special needs schools across various regions that have supported routine clean-up actions.
“They process waste into organic fertiliser, which is then used in food security programmes at schools,” said Khofifah.
For the award, the East Java Provincial Government will receive central government assistance of Rp2 billion.
According to her, the waste problem requires behavioural change, sound management systems, innovation and long-term solutions.
The East Java Provincial Government continues to promote the cleanliness movement through clean-up actions involving the government, the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), communities, environmental activists, the education sector and the public.
“Clean-up actions, whether on beaches or rivers, are a tangible manifestation of the importance of a cross-sector gotong royong culture in tackling Indonesia’s waste problem. We hope this will be a good start to building a culture of environmental awareness, especially in raising awareness of waste disposal and management from the grassroots level,” she said.
In addition, the East Java Provincial Government is promoting the Waste-to-Energy Processing (PSEL) project as a long-term solution.
The provincial government has signed cooperation agreements for the PSEL project with seven regents and mayors in the Greater Surabaya and Greater Malang areas.
Based on data from the Indonesian Ministry of Environment as of March 2026, East Java’s waste management achievement reached 52.7 percent, the highest nationally and far above the national average of around 24.95 percent.
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian said the award was evidence of local governments’ concern and seriousness in providing the best for the community.
“Many regions have been and are trying to implement both of these things; some have succeeded and some have not. One of those that has succeeded is the city of Surabaya, East Java,” said Tito.