Illegal Pangkungparuk Landfill in Buleleng Resumes Operations After Closure
The illegal landfill in Pangkungparuk Village, Seririt District, has resumed operations after previously being shut down. The waste disposal activity is suspected of breaching a restorative justice agreement that halted legal proceedings in 2025.
The Buleleng Regency Government has warned the operator not to run the landfill without a permit. Besides the potential for environmental pollution, the illegal waste disposal could also lead to legal action.
Buleleng Deputy Regent Gede Supriatna stressed that the Pangkungparuk landfill should no longer be operating because the government had closed it. According to him, every final disposal site must have a permit as it relates to environmental protection and waste management governance.
“The landfill must have a permit. This concerns the environment and also the collection of levies. Everything must be regulated with a valid permit,” Supriatna said on Tuesday (4/8/2026).
Supriatna reminded the Pangkungparuk landfill operator to comply with the closure decision that had been agreed upon. If operations continue without a permit, the operator could face legal proceedings.
On the other hand, Supriatna acknowledged that the need for waste management facilities in western Buleleng remains a challenge for the government. Currently, waste disposal services still rely on the Bengkala landfill, so a new facility is needed to share the service burden.
The Buleleng Regency Government is beginning to study a plan to build a new landfill in the western region as a long-term solution. The presence of such a facility is expected to meet waste management needs without depending on unlicensed disposal sites.
“The plan actually already exists, and the scheme is also in place. We just need to intensify efforts together with the Regent and the Environmental Agency, because we must prepare the land, budget, and ensure everything meets the standards of the Ministry of Environment,” Supriatna explained.
Head of the Buleleng Civil Service Police Unit, Komang Kappa Tri Aryandono, stated that a joint team with the police had visited the site after receiving reports that the Pangkungparuk landfill had resumed operations. This occurred despite a previous agreement to permanently close the site through a restorative justice mechanism.
According to Kappa, the Buleleng Regency Government is still awaiting the results of a study from the Buleleng Environmental Agency as the basis for determining enforcement action against the operator.
“If we use the regional regulation, it could be a minor offence. But if we refer to the Environmental Law, it could fall under criminal offences. We are still waiting for the study from the Environmental Agency,” Kappa explained.