Many Bus Terminals Lack Environmental Documentation and Waste Management Systems
The Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq has highlighted inadequate waste management at several bus terminals, which fall short of environmental standards. Inspection results show many terminals lack environmental approval documents and proper waste management systems.
Hanif stated that his ministry conducted direct inspections of several terminals to assess waste management conditions on the ground. During monitoring of passenger movement during the Lebaran holiday exodus, all ten terminals visited were found to lack environmental approval documents.
“From approximately ten terminals we visited, it appears that all of them lack environmental documentation. So all the terminals we sampled do not possess environmental approval documents,” he said in South Jakarta on Monday (16 March).
He added that the government will issue two directives to terminal operators. First, they must complete environmental approvals through environmental evaluation documents. Second, they must prepare to resolve waste management problems.
In addition to the obligation to complete environmental documents, terminal operators have been instructed to immediately improve waste management in their areas.
Hanif believes terminals are points of high-mobility public activity and should therefore serve as examples of good waste management practices. One highlighted case is Purabaya Terminal, which is traversed by tens of thousands of people daily. The high volume of passenger movement makes waste management at the terminal critical to prevent waste accumulation.
“Particularly large terminals like Purabaya with 45,000 people entering and exiting in a single day. This is certainly important—we must strengthen it as a symbol of good waste management in our country,” he emphasised.
The Environment Minister stated that rest areas are one of important focal points for promoting a cultural shift in waste management practices among the public.
The Deputy Environment Minister and Deputy Head of the Environmental Control Agency, Diaz Hendropriyono, flagged the potential surge in holiday travellers during the Lebaran exodus of 2026. Through educational approaches and technological utilisation, these programmes aim to reduce waste at final disposal sites whilst empowering communities.
The government has warned that if waste problems are not addressed promptly, several landfills are projected to reach maximum capacity by 2028. The Environment Ministry continues its series of activities marking National Waste Care Day (HPSN) 2026.