Garbage Crisis Worsens: 75 Percent Untreated and Open Dumping Still Prevalent

Indonesia is facing an increasingly serious waste crisis, with the majority of waste not being properly managed. The waste management system is deemed to have failed because only a small portion of waste is truly processed.

Waste4Change CEO Mohammad Bijaksana Junerosano stated that out of a total generation of around 144,000 tonnes per day, only about 25 percent is successfully managed. The remainder, about 75 percent, still ends up in final disposal sites using an open system.

“If we talk about 144,000 tonnes of waste per day, that’s abstract. But imagine it’s equivalent to 12 Borobudur Temples every day. That’s what we produce,” said the man familiarly known as Sano during a media gathering for Earth Day in Jakarta on Monday (20/4/2026).

He assessed that most people are unaware that the waste they discard merely changes location. “Our waste is transported, but the question is where to? It turns out 75 percent is still unmanaged,” Sano said.

According to him, the majority of waste is still disposed of in landfills using the open dumping system, which has actually been prohibited since Law No. 18 of 2008. However, this practice continues widely to this day.

This condition is considered high-risk, including triggering disasters such as landslides at disposal sites. He alluded to the incident at Bantargebang landfill and the 2005 Leuwigajah tragedy that killed more than 150 people.

“We’re like repeating the same tragedy. This is not normal; it’s a legal violation and very dangerous,” Sano said.

He emphasised the need for firm law enforcement to address waste governance issues. Without strict sanctions, violations in waste management continue to occur and are considered normal.