Five Dead in Bantargebang Landfill Collapse; Jakarta DPRD Calls for Provincial Government Evaluation
A Jakarta Provincial Legislative Assembly (DPRD) member has called for a comprehensive evaluation by the Jakarta Provincial Government (Pemprov DKI) following the collapse of the Bantargebang Integrated Waste Management Facility (TPST), which has claimed five lives.
Member of DPRD DKI Jakarta Hardiyanto Kenneth stated that the evaluation must encompass security protocols, waste management systems, and public safety measures for residents in the vicinity of the facility. “The Jakarta Provincial Government must immediately conduct a total evaluation of the management and security systems at Bantargebang. Human safety must be the top priority,” he affirmed in Jakarta on Monday, 9 March.
Kenneth expressed condolences regarding the Bantargebang TPST collapse, characterising it as evidence that waste management practices require urgent reform. He noted that Bantargebang has historically received the majority of Jakarta’s waste, creating extraordinary accumulations. The provincial government has been urged to evaluate associated risks including landslide hazards, fires, environmental contamination, and threats to workers’ safety at the facility.
Kenneth stressed that the collapse serves as a reminder that waste management cannot remain dependent on landfills. He emphasised that authorities must reduce waste volume through source-based sorting, particularly household waste separation.
He also requested the establishment of waste banking networks at the neighbourhood (RW) and subdistrict levels, enabling residents to segregate organic and inorganic waste. “Through this approach, the volume of waste entering Bantargebang TPST can be significantly reduced,” he stated.
To diminish the burden of waste volume, Kenneth expressed hope that technology-based waste processing facilities such as refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plants and composting systems for organic waste could be implemented. He argued that diversifying processing methods would reduce the dependency on Bantargebang as Jakarta’s sole landfill facility.
The incident has been characterised as a stark warning to the Jakarta Provincial Government to cease the open dumping methods still being practised at the facility. Local authorities have acknowledged transportation constraints resulting from inadequate landfill capacity. Recent developments include the formal announcement by Danantara Indonesia of selected partners for waste-to-energy (WtE) facilities in Bekasi and Denpasar.