Environment Minister Promotes Waste Processing into Energy in Riau
PEKANBARU - The Minister of Environment/Head of the Environmental Control Agency (KLH/BPLH), Jumhur Hidayat, emphasised the importance of waste management through methane capture technology and Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF). He stated that these initiatives represent necessary steps that need to be promoted for swift implementation, providing benefits for both the environment and society.
“This is a good initiative, so it can be realised quickly. Then, for plastic waste, some can be reused and some can be turned into energy, called RDF. We will sit down together soon for this, including major efforts for sorting that has already occurred in several places,” said Jumhur during a working visit to Riau province on Tuesday (5/5/2026).
In its statement, the Ministry of Environment said that one focus of waste handling in Riau province is to stop open dumping practices at the Final Processing Site (TPA) Muara Fajar II. The government has gradually abandoned such practices in accordance with the mandate of Presidential Regulation Number 12 of 2025 on the National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN).
As part of the commitment to climate change mitigation within the framework of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), the Ministry of Environment supports the construction of methane capture facilities at TPA Muara Fajar II. This technology is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while opening opportunities for its use as an alternative energy source.
On the other hand, the application of RDF technology serves as a strategic solution to reduce reliance on TPAs. Sorted waste will be processed mechanically into RDF pellets with high calorific value, which can be used as a substitute for fossil fuels in industrial sectors or power plants.
Waste generation in Riau province reaches 3,818 tons per day, but only around 16 percent is managed optimally. Additionally, about 75 percent of TPAs still use open dumping systems that have the potential to pollute the environment.
Jumhur emphasised that waste management is a shared responsibility to improve the quality of life for society. “We must support all efforts to ensure that waste is managed well and makes us all normal people if we are not disturbed by waste, something like that,” he said.
The Ministry of Environment reaffirmed its commitment to assist the Riau Provincial Government in permanently ending open dumping practices. Through capacity building, technical assistance, and the application of methane capture and RDF technologies, it is hoped that a modern, circular, and sustainable waste management system will be realised.