Greater Bandung Regional Governments Urged to Crack Down on Illegal Waste Dumps

The West Java Provincial Government has urged district and city administrations in Greater Bandung to swiftly take action against illegal waste disposal sites. The Head of the West Java Environmental Agency, Ai Saadiyah, highlighted the growing number of unauthorised dumps, including one on Jalan Raya Ciganitri in Bandung Regency, which are causing environmental damage and disturbing residents with foul odours. She stressed that local governments should prioritise resolving waste issues independently rather than relying on the provincial administration, particularly as the capacity of the Sarimukti final processing site in West Bandung Regency is nearing its limit. ‘We continue to encourage regencies and cities to follow up. The province has repeatedly helped by transporting waste from various illegal points, but there has been no improvement in local oversight or commitment to reform,’ she stated. The province is also pushing for upstream waste management through massive public education, requiring households, neighbourhood associations, and village officials to sort and process their own waste so that only residue is sent to landfills.