House Speaker Urges Waste Sorting Culture to Become National Policy
House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani is pushing for the waste sorting policy that the Jakarta Provincial Government will implement to become a national movement. According to her, strict regulations on waste management and sorting can serve as an instrument to protect public health and the surrounding environment.
“I hope the habit of sorting waste can spread to other regions and ultimately become a national policy, as done in advanced countries,” she stated in her remarks on Sunday, 10 May 2026.
This PDI Perjuangan politician also views the mandatory waste sorting policy soon to be applied in Jakarta as part of a change in urban lifestyles, not just a technical environmental management programme. The culture of sorting waste, she said, must be taught as early as possible to the younger generation and not become a temporary response to the issue of overflowing final disposal sites.
According to her, the waste problem in big cities is no longer just about environmental cleanliness but about the region’s ability to withstand urbanisation pressures and long-term environmental crises. She believes the biggest issue in national waste management is not only the continuously increasing volume but also the way waste is viewed as disposed of after being collected from homes.
“Therefore, the waste sorting policy needs to be seen as an initial step in building collective awareness that society’s current consumption and waste disposal patterns are no longer commensurate with the environment’s capacity to accommodate them,” she stated.
Puan reminds that poorly managed waste ultimately returns as health problems, pollution, flooding, and a decline in quality of life. Therefore, Puan supports local government steps that are starting to encourage direct community involvement in the waste management process.
However, she also warns that changing public behaviour cannot be built solely through administrative obligations. Instead, it also requires support and commitment from the state to ensure the public receives system conveniences, ongoing education, and guarantees of proper waste management.
In addition, Puan opines that environmental issues will ultimately affect social justice. This is because, she said, those most impacted by poor waste governance are low-income communities living in areas near final disposal sites.
“The success of the waste sorting programme must be measured not only by public compliance but also by whether the environmental quality truly improves, waste volume is significantly reduced, and the public feels a healthier change in quality of life,” stated Puan.
Puan stated that the House of Representatives will ensure the implementation of the waste sorting policy runs consistently, measurably, and sustainably. Moreover, this policy aligns with targets in Sustainable Development Goal number 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), number 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and number 14 (Life Below Water).
“And it must be remembered that Indonesia also supports the achievement of SDGs targets by 2030, including in reducing and managing waste,” she added.
Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung issued Instruction (Ingub) Number 5 of 2026 on the Waste Sorting and Processing Movement from the Source. According to Pramono Anung, the regulation will take effect starting Sunday, 10 May 2026.
This regulation mandates all Jakarta residents to sort household waste into four categories: organic waste, inorganic waste, hazardous and toxic materials (B3), and residue.
Each type of waste has different subsequent management guidelines. For example, organic waste such as food scraps is recommended to be processed through composting, maggot, or biodigester.
Meanwhile, inorganic waste such as plastic, paper, and metal is recommended to enter waste banks or be recycled. Other types of waste require special handling.
This Gubernatorial Instruction also emphasises that waste sorting must be done from the source, namely households, offices, to business areas. The role of regional apparatus down to the neighbourhood level (RW) is also strengthened because RWs can impose administrative sanctions on residents who do not sort waste according to the provisions.