Restrictions at Mandung Landfill Lead to Waste Accumulation in Tabanan
The face of Tabanan town is tarnished. This is because waste has piled up at several points on Monday (4/5/2026). In fact, this sight is visible along the main road of Tabanan town towards Kediri subdistrict.
Observations at the location showed rubbish lined up along Jalan Pahlawan, the Tabanan town market area, Jalan Pulau Seribu up to Jalan Denpasar-Gilimanuk near the Grand Mosque of Kediri. This condition occurred because the waste discarded by the community is still mixed and not yet sorted.
To the west of the Tabanan Regent’s Office, rubbish is even seen lined up and simply piled on the pavement. One beverage vendor near the location said the waste pile has been ongoing for six days.
“It has been six days until now and it hasn’t been collected. Many people just place it there. Some bring it by motorbike and just leave the rubbish there,” said the vendor.
Tabanan Deputy Regent, I Made Dirga, emphasised that the uncollected waste is caused by the lack of sorting. If the community has sorted it and only leaves residue, the waste will certainly be collected by the Environment Agency (DLH) Tabanan trucks.
This is in accordance with the Circular Letter (SE) issued by the Tabanan Regent regarding source-based waste management. In addition, in the SE, only residual waste is collected and disposed of at the Mandung landfill.
“The SE has been socialised. Let’s sort the waste. This must be done together. If it’s sorted and only residue remains, it will definitely be collected,” Dirga stressed.
Dirga again reminded the importance of collective community awareness in sorting waste. According to him, this policy cannot run without the active role of all parties.
“It can’t be done alone, it must be together. Let’s start sorting waste gradually,” Dirga requested.
Head of the Waste and Faecal Sludge Processing UPTD of DLH Tabanan, I Wayan Atmaja, revealed that 15 waste trucks have been rejected from entering the Mandung landfill during the four days of SE implementation. The rejection of the dozen trucks was because they carried mixed waste.
According to Atmaja, all rejected trucks were carrying unsorted waste. The Waste and Faecal Sludge Processing UPTD of DLH Tabanan has also provided socialisation to the drivers regarding the policy.
“All that we rejected still carried mixed waste, so we are firm in line with our commitment,” said Atmaja.
On one hand, the Mandung landfill recorded that 23 vehicles have passed since Sunday (3/5/2026). However, the volume of residual waste collected is relatively small, only around 1 to 1.5 cubic metres, dominated by private vehicles.
Atmaja again urged and reminded the community to sort waste independently. He emphasised that only residual waste will be accepted at the Mandung landfill.