Ministry of Environment Summons Bekasi Regency Administration Over Waste Management Responsibility
The Ministry of Environment (Kemen LH) will immediately summon the Bekasi Regency Government to provide an explanation and account for waste management issues deemed serious in Southeast Asia’s largest industrial region.
Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq stated that his ministry, through the Law Enforcement Deputy of the Ministry of Environment, will summon Acting Regent of Bekasi Asep Surya Atmaja and relevant department heads to explain waste management governance in the region.
“We will summon local officials, the Regent, and department heads through our law enforcement deputy to account for how waste is managed here. Since the regent has full authority to handle waste, we will ask what needs to be done and what support we need to provide,” he said in Cikarang on Monday.
He ensured that law enforcement measures would be implemented across all levels, accompanied by strengthened outreach to area owners and the public, particularly as waste issues are not limited to Bekasi Regency but also affect several other regions, requiring serious in-depth investigation and handling.
Law number 18 of 2008 on Waste Management clearly mandates district and city governments through Article 9 to implement waste management. Meanwhile, governors conduct supervision and guidance, whilst the central government sets norms and targets.
“The minister sets norms and targets. Then Article 40 states that waste management operations that do not comply with norms and cause environmental pollution and public health disruption must be held accountable, so there are articles we must address and all parties must take responsibility,” he said.
Despite planning a thorough evaluation, Hanif appreciated the efforts of Bekasi Regency Government officials in handling waste issues, which he acknowledged are not straightforward, particularly given the relatively high volume of waste generated.
“It requires diligence and collective effort from all parties. We will investigate thoroughly, but we certainly appreciate the efforts of the regent’s administration in handling waste management, which is not simple. This is serious and quite burdensome, as the waste volume is significant, so we all need diligence,” he said.
Acting Regent Asep Surya Atmaja acknowledged finding many illegal dumping points during field inspections, requiring concrete efforts such as strengthened enforcement.
“We will take action if there are people illegally dumping waste. We already have a local regulation, so we will take enforcement action,” he said.
Asep revealed that the waste management challenge in Bekasi Regency is substantial. With a population of 3.3 million people, waste production reaches 2,250 tonnes daily, or approximately 0.7 kilograms of waste per person daily.
“Waste is collected daily and transported every day, but with such a dense population, this is certainly not easy,” he said.