Leuwigajah and Bantargebang Tragedies: The Dark History of Indonesia's Waste Management

Indonesia’s history of waste management is marked by at least two profound disasters: the Leuwigajah tragedy in 2005 and the Bantargebang landslide in March 2026. Both events are more than natural disasters—they represent systemic failures in managing burgeoning urban waste.

In the early morning of 21 February 2005, a violent explosion rocked the Cimahi region of West Java. Methane gas trapped beneath millions of cubic metres of waste at the Leuwigajah landfill triggered a catastrophic landslide. Extreme rainfall exacerbated conditions at the 60-metre-high waste mound.

A “waste tsunami” surged forward for a kilometre, sweeping through Cilimus and Pojok villages. The disaster claimed 157 lives and led to the establishment of National Waste Care Day (HPSN) on 21 February as a form of national reflection.

Two decades later, history repeated itself. On 8 March 2026, Zone IV of the Bantargebang waste processing facility in Bekasi experienced a major landslide. Rainfall with extreme intensity reaching 264 mm per day destabilised a 50-metre-high waste mound.

Decomposing organic matter without oxygen generates methane gas. Without adequate ventilation systems, this gas accumulates and creates high pressure capable of exploding if triggered by heat or mass displacement. Rainwater adds significant weight to the waste mass, whilst plastic—which dominates waste piles—acts as a lubricant, enabling entire mounds to slide when their bases can no longer bear the load.

The government has begun promoting a transition from outdated methods towards safer technologies. The Leuwigajah and Bantargebang tragedies serve as stark reminders that without radical change, waste mountains across Indonesian cities remain a genuine threat to human safety and the environment.