Indonesia pushes waste sorting to cut landfill pollution

“We are pushing for waste sorting. For instance, self-managed waste services should refuse to collect unsorted trash. We need synergy, not finger-pointing,” he said in a statement.

During a visit to Badung, Bali, on Thursday, he noted that the Suwung landfill in Denpasar is heavily polluted.

The minister said that closing the site without a follow-up plan could trigger social tensions. Therefore, the landfill currently continues to accept both organic and inorganic waste.

However, he emphasized that the Suwung landfill will only accept organic waste until the end of March 2026. Starting in April, the Ministry of Environment plans to strictly monitor the site to ensure no more organic waste enters the facility.

The ministry had previously set a target to officially close the Suwung landfill and end open dumping practices by March 2026.

Specifically for Badung District, he said the ministry will provide wood chippers and incinerators to process and dispose of wood waste.

To address the national waste problem, the Indonesian government has prepared several initiatives, including the planned establishment of 34 waste-to-energy plants this year.

The government is also planning to deploy micro-scale processing technologies developed by domestic universities to villages so that waste can be managed at the most local level.

According to interim data from the Ministry of Environment’s National Waste Management Information System (SIPSN), waste generation reached 25.14 million tons in 2025 based on reports from just 249 of the country’s 514 districts and cities.

Of the total, the amount of waste managed has only reached 34.27 percent.

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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Raka Adji