Garbage Flood Now Hits Tabanan
The waste problem is not only faced by Denpasar City and Badung Regency. Now, Tabanan is also grappling with a similar issue. Piles of rubbish are everywhere.
Observations by detikBali at several points on Monday (4/5/2026) revealed a ‘flood’ of rubbish in various locations. A filthy sight was visible along the main road from Tabanan Town to Kediri Subdistrict.
On-site observations showed rubbish lined up along Jalan Pahlawan, the Tabanan Town Market area, Jalan Pulau Seribu, and Jalan Denpasar-Gilimanuk near the Grand Mosque of Kediri. This condition occurred because the waste discarded by the community is still mixed and not yet sorted.
To the west of the Tabanan Regent’s Office, rubbish was even seen lined up and simply piled on the pavement. One beverage vendor near the location said the rubbish piles had been there for six days.
“It has been six days until now and has not been collected. Many people just leave it there. Some bring it by motorbike and just put the rubbish down,” said the vendor.
Waste Not Collected Because Not Sorted
Tabanan Deputy Regent, I Made Dirga, emphasised that the waste is not being collected because sorting has not been done. If the community has sorted and only leaves residue, the waste is guaranteed to be collected by the Environmental Agency (DLH) Tabanan trucks.
This is in accordance with the Circular Letter (SE) issued by the Tabanan Regent regarding source-based waste management. In addition, the SE states that only residual waste is collected and disposed of at the Mandung landfill.
“The SE has been socialised. Let’s sort the waste. This must be done together. If it is sorted and only residue remains, it will definitely be collected,” Dirga stressed.
Dirga again reminded the importance of collective community awareness in sorting waste. According to him, this policy cannot run without the active role of all parties.
“It can’t be done alone, it must be together. Let’s start sorting waste gradually,” Dirga urged.
15 Waste Trucks Rejected from Entering Mandung Landfill
Head of the Waste and Faecal Sludge Processing UPTD of DLH Tabanan, I Wayan Atmaja, revealed that 15 waste trucks were rejected from entering the Mandung landfill over four days of SE implementation. The rejection of the dozen trucks was because they carried mixed waste.
According to Atmaja, all rejected trucks were transporting unsorted waste. The Waste and Faecal Sludge Processing UPTD of DLH Tabanan has also provided socialisation to the drivers regarding the policy.
“All that we rejected still carried mixed waste, so we are firm in accordance with our commitment,” said Atmaja.
On one hand, the Mandung landfill recorded 23 vehicles that passed since Sunday (3/5/2026). However, the volume of residual waste collected was relatively small, only around 1 to 1.5 cubic metres, dominated by private vehicles.
Atmaja again urged and reminded the community to sort waste independently. He emphasised that only residual waste will be accepted at the Mandung landfill.