Surprise Inspections of Terminals Should Not Be Gimmicks: This is the Radical Policy Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Should Implement
The President’s message is that efficiency must begin from the top level.
A series of unannounced inspections (sidak) conducted by Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq at Purabaya Terminal through to Kampung Rambutan in March 2026 must become a momentum for transformation. The public awaits whether this action will end as mere ceremony or become the starting point for systematic radical policy.
Minister Hanif emphasised at Kampung Rambutan Terminal that waste management must be upgraded to MRF (Material Recovery Facility) scale. This policy must be codified in national regulation. MRF enables waste to be mechanically sorted into raw materials for recycling industries, creating a sustainable circular economy in Rupiah terms for terminal operators.
The inspection at Tanjung Priok Terminal revealed weak facility maintenance. A radical breakthrough would be to activate Articles 40 and 41 of Law No. 18 of 2008, which impose prison sentences on negligent area managers. Without real legal threats, ministerial instructions will be dismissed as mere wind by regional bureaucrats.
Rather than the minister visiting the field every week, the Environment Ministry could mandate the installation of IoT sensors at every waste collection point in terminals. Real-time waste volume data sent to the National Dashboard would automatically alert managers if waste is not transported within 12 hours. This represents modern supervision far more efficient than physical inspections.
Minister Hanif is encouraging rest area operators to fully support the low-waste holiday travel programme to reduce waste volume surges during holiday periods.
In his visits, the Environment Minister has stressed that waste management systems at Purabaya Terminal still require significant improvement to become more hygienic and orderly.
The Environment Minister has instructed immediate improvements to waste disposal and sorting facilities at Tanjung Priok Terminal to maintain port environmental standards.
The Environment Minister has emphasised that waste management at Kampung Rambutan Terminal must be upgraded to Material Recovery Facility (MRF) scale for more integrated waste processing.
Is MRF development expensive?
MRF investment does require initial capital, but in the long term operational costs will be recovered from the sale of recycled materials and savings on transport costs to landfills.
How can society help this policy?
Society can play a role by sorting waste from home and reporting dirty terminals through the official Environment Ministry application integrated with the enforcement system.
The Environment Minister has called on the public undertaking Eid holiday travel to reduce waste generation during journeys.
The Environment Ministry estimates total waste generated during the holiday period could reach approximately 71,960 tonnes.
Members of parliament are pushing for the development of 3R waste treatment facilities and modern landfills in Pegunungan Bintang to address waste problems in the region.
Local government has acknowledged transport constraints due to inadequate landfill capacity.
Jakarta provincial parliament members have requested an evaluation by the provincial government following the collapse of the Bantargebang integrated waste disposal facility.