Environment Minister urges end to open dumping to reduce landfill fire risks

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq has urged local governments to promptly end open dumping at final processing sites (TPA) and switch to controlled landfills, one of the reasons being to avoid the risk of landfills catching fire during the dry season.

In his remarks after witnessing the signing of a cooperation agreement for the development of Waste Processing into Electricity (PSEL) in North Sulawesi Province at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLH) office in Jakarta on Monday, Minister Hanif stated that in North Sulawesi, out of 15 regencies/cities, only four areas have ended open dumping and transitioned to a controlled landfill system, where waste is buried in layers with soil periodically to reduce environmental impacts.

“To the regents/mayors, I request that by the latest in August, the practice of open dumping must be ended immediately. Afterwards, we will certainly take a stricter approach if by August open dumping is not started to be ended—hopefully it can be concluded—by practising controlled landfill at minimum as done in Tomohon,” said Hanif.

He explained that the controlled landfill or sanitary landfill practice, involving burying and compacting waste covered with soil as a capping layer, is not only to suppress the spread of pollutants but also to reduce methane gas emissions arising from the decomposition of organic waste mixed with other types of waste.

“Thus, the dry season will peak in August, shifting until October. This will consequently make it easier for those TPAs to catch fire due to the substantial methane emissions,” he said.

This is reflected in fire incidents at dozens of TPAs caused by methane gas factors and drier climate conditions.

He stated that he has coordinated with the Attorney General’s Office and the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency regarding potential criminal and civil legal actions if there are still local governments that do not stop open dumping TPAs.

Based on data from KLH/BPLH, the amount of waste generated is 141,926 tonnes per day, of which 37,001 tonnes per day are already managed.

Of that amount, most of the managed waste goes to landfill TPAs at 15,189 tonnes per day and is handled by the informal sector at 9,450 tonnes. The rest is managed through composting facilitation, 3R waste management sites, and waste banks.