Leaking Rubbish Truck Queue at Bantargebang TPST Causes Foul Odour and Slippery Roads

BEKASI — Long queues of waste collection trucks operated by the Jakarta Provincial Government at the Bantargebang Temporary Waste Processing Site (TPST) in Bekasi drew complaints from residents on Thursday (12 March 2026).

The queues are causing foul odours and making road surfaces slippery due to liquid seepage from the garbage loads.

During a visit to the site, Kompas.com observed numerous waste collection trucks lined up along the road whilst waiting for their turn to enter the TPST Bantargebang facility.

The liquid left wet marks along the entire route travelled by the trucks. A particularly strong unpleasant aroma could be detected at several points, especially where trucks had stopped for extended periods.

The situation drew complaints from residents and road users passing through the area.

Warsini, 52, who operates a food stall along Siliwangi Road, said the foul odour has been noticeable for some time when waste trucks pass through the area. However, the condition has become significantly worse since the major congestion began.

“Before there wasn’t congestion like this, we could already smell it from trucks just passing by. Now the smell is much worse because the trucks are stopped for longer,” Warsini said when met at the location on Thursday (12 March 2026).

She hopes the government can quickly find a solution to prevent the congestion caused by the waste truck queues from continuing.

“Hopefully there’s a solution from the government so it doesn’t keep getting congested like this,” she said.

In addition to the foul odour, the liquid seeping from the garbage loads has also drawn complaints from road users because it makes the asphalt surface slippery.

Rafli, 34, a motorcyclist passing through the area, said riders must exercise greater caution when passing through routes crowded with waste trucks.