Pekanbaru Mayor Praises Riau Police Chief's Initiative: WTE A Smart Solution to Tackling Waste

Pekanbaru Mayor Agung Nugroho has praised the Riau Police Chief Irjen Herry Heryawan for initiating the Green Policing programme using Waste-to-Energy (WTE) technology at the Muara Fajar landfill. The project is seen as a concrete answer to the waste crisis that has burdened the provincial capital of Riau for the past decade. According to Agung, the presence of the Riau Police is not merely law enforcement but a bringer of technical solutions much needed by the regional government. He described the WTE project as a ‘product’ of the police chief’s thinking, who deeply understands the threats of waste to the ecosystem. ‘The Police Chief always provides solutions and is very helpful. He understands environmental issues well, hence the WTE concept. The mountains of waste accumulated for years will be managed, methane captured, and then processed into energy,’ he said on Friday (6 March 2026).

Zero APBD funded: One point that persuaded Agung to back the WTE is the project financing scheme. Amid limited local budget, the Riau Police proposed a sophisticated technology without burdening the regional treasury. ‘The city government feels greatly helped. This is truly zero APBD. In fact, the city government even gains from land rental income from the landfill and will later share in profits from selling electricity to PLN. This is a very extraordinary cooperation,’ he said. In addition to economic aspects, Agung believes the project can save the environment. With the landfill area of around 4 hectares almost full, this technology allows waste to shrink significantly. ‘Through the membrane sealing process and methane gas extraction, organic waste will break down and shrink. That means the land that was full of waste can later be repurposed for other uses. The decade-long problem can finally be resolved,’ he added. The police’s move to ensure all processes comply with regulations, including coordination with the central government marked by the Deputy Minister’s visit to the site some time ago, also drew praise. The Pekanbaru City Government has signed an MoU with PT ICE as the private party to manage the waste. Equipment such as pipes and membranes have arrived at Muara Fajar and are being arranged. ‘We have an MoU with PT ICE for the lease of the landfill site and pipes; membranes have been installed, perhaps around 30 percent,’ he said. The mayor fully supports the Riau Police’s ASRI programme and is optimistic that this collaboration will become an important legacy in Pekanbaru’s environmental management history. ‘In short, we fully agree and support this. This is a progressive step for Pekanbaru,’ he concluded. (mea/dhn)