Preserving Nature from the Source: EIGER Adventure Land Removes 6 Tonnes of Waste at Puncak
The issue of waste remains one of the primary challenges in environmental management in Indonesia. In upstream areas such as Puncak, Bogor Regency, uncontrolled waste disposal practices add pressure to the ecosystem, disrupt water flow systems, and increase the risk of flooding and landslides in hillside regions.
According to data from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry/Environmental Control Agency (KLHK/BPLH), Indonesia’s waste generation in 2023 reached 56 million tonnes annually. However, only 39% is managed properly, while 22% is still dumped in landfills using open dumping methods. The remaining 39% is released into the environment through burning, illegal dumping, or disposal into water bodies.
At the local level, the volume of waste in Bogor Regency, which reaches thousands of tonnes per day, further increases the potential for the emergence of illegal waste accumulation points, particularly in buffer zones like Puncak.
As part of efforts to maintain environmental sustainability in upstream areas, in mid-March, 70 EIGER Adventure Land volunteers, along with the Bogor Regency Environmental Service and Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park (TNGGP), conducted a waste cleanup action in Sukagalih Village, Megamendung, specifically in the TNGGP Utilisation Zone.
In the initial stage, the team successfully removed around 6 tonnes of waste, equivalent to four trucks.
Based on field estimates, the total waste accumulation at that point is estimated to reach about 30 tonnes, equivalent to 20 trucks, so the cleaning process will be carried out in stages.
Preserving Environmental Quality
This activity is part of EIGER Adventure Land’s commitment as an ecotourism destination that not only focuses on area development but also on efforts to maintain environmental quality in the surrounding areas, including buffer villages and conservation zones.
Moreover, this initiative reflects EIGER Adventure Land’s spirit in providing meaningful experiences. Interactions with nature do not stop at exploration but also involve responsibility for caring for and protecting it.
EIGER Adventure Land’s Managing Director, Imanuel Wirajaya, emphasised that waste problems in upstream areas cannot be separated from behavioural factors.
“The waste issue in areas like Puncak is not just about volume but also behaviour. Indiscriminate waste disposal can directly impact the surrounding environment, from pollution to potential disasters,” he explained.
Through this activity, he added, they aim to encourage the public to be more caring and jointly keep this area clean.
Changing behaviour and mandatory waste sorting at the source are very important to implement.
Systemic Approach
Meanwhile, Arief Sabdo Yuwono, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at IPB University and also an expert team for EIGER Adventure Land, emphasised the importance of a more systemic approach to waste management.
“The waste problem can no longer be solved with conventional approaches like open dumping. A change in waste management systems from the source is needed, including public awareness not to litter and strengthening more sustainable management systems,” he explained.
Given the complexity of the problem, EIGER Adventure Land is committed to continuing to promote waste management initiatives in the Megamendung area gradually and sustainably.
These efforts include acting as a partner, facilitator, and educator for the community in building more responsible waste management habits, in line with community empowerment efforts around the area.
In the future, this commitment will also be strengthened through the development of an integrated waste management system designed to support sustainable ecotourism areas, while also becoming part of long-term contributions to maintaining ecosystem balance in upstream regions.