Long Queues of Waste Carts Pile Up in Rawajati, South Jakarta, Amid Foul Stench

JAKARTA — Dozens of waste carts are lined up along the side of Jalan Rawajati Barat, Pancoran, South Jakarta, on Tuesday (17 March 2026).

The waste carts have had to queue for an extended period to dump their contents at the Temporary Waste Disposal Site (TPS) Rawajati, which has already reached capacity. The stench of rubbish can be detected from a radius of 100 metres.

Piles of waste obscure the view of passing trains. Birds circle overhead.

Several Civil Service Police Unit (PPSU) officers can be seen unloading sacks from a truck bed that is also waiting in the queue.

Across the street, waste collectors are sitting on cardboard as makeshift cushioning. Some are lying directly on the concrete pavement.

According to waste collector Mega Wahyu (42), the queue is waiting for trucks to arrive to transport the waste to Bantargebang.

“Yes, there is definitely an impact (from the Bantargebang landslide). We’re waiting for the truck to arrive,” Mega explained when met by Kompas.com at the site on Tuesday (17 March 2026).

As a result, Mega’s work has been disrupted. On a normal day, she could make two round trips to collect and deliver waste.

However, recently she has only been able to make one trip per day because of the lengthy waiting time.

“It’s almost Eid now. Residents are complaining to me, ‘Why isn’t the waste being collected?’ Because there’s a buildup of rubbish,” Mega said.

Another independent waste collector, Rian (43), is also receiving similar complaints. He can only explain the situation they are facing.

Some residents are unwilling to listen regarding these delays. Rian therefore directs residents to visit TPS Rawajati directly to see the mountain of waste and the long queue of carts.

“For me, it’s simple. I explain it straightforwardly: ‘If you want to complain, come to the disposal depot yourself. Find out for yourself there, ask questions about why this is happening and what the solution is,’” Rian said.