Indonesia Faces Waste Emergency! Deputy Minister of Environment Jumps into River to Collect Waste

The Deputy Minister for Pollution Control and Environmental Damage at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry/Environmental Management Agency (KLH/BPLH), Rasio Ridho Sani, conducted a clean-up operation in rivers and several areas of Jakarta in anticipation of National Waste Awareness Day. In this activity, Rasio directly entered the river to collect the accumulated waste on the banks. He also cleaned up waste in a market together with a joint team, including local Public Infrastructure and Facilities Officers (PPSSU), as a form of cross-sectoral collaboration in waste management. The Minister of Environment and Forestry/Head of BPLH, Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, stated that the waste problem has reached an emergency level and requires a complete paradigm shift. As of the end of 2025, the national waste management achievement has only reached 25 percent, or approximately 36,684 tons per day. Meanwhile, around 75 percent, or the equivalent of 105,483 tons per day, has not been adequately managed and still poses a risk of environmental pollution. This condition indicates the need for concrete steps and ongoing collaboration to reduce waste generation in various regions. KLH/BPLH emphasizes the optimization of waste management from upstream to downstream, focusing on reduction at the source, changing public behavior, and implementing the principles of a circular economy. The commemoration of National Waste Awareness Day every February 21st is expected to be a momentum to strengthen the shared commitment in realizing a better and more sustainable waste management system.