To curb air pollution, Jakarta residents who burn rubbish openly face fines of Rp500,000

Jakarta’s provincial government has stressed that burning rubbish in home compounds is no longer merely a habit but an offence under the law. Residents caught burning rubbish openly now face an administrative fine of up to Rp500,000. This decisive step refers to Regional Regulation No. 4 of 2019 on Waste Management, which explicitly prohibits any form of waste management that is not environmentally friendly, including open burning that can degrade air quality. Erni Pelita Fitratunnisa, Head of the Pollution Control and Environmental Damage Division of the Jakarta Environment Service (Dinas Lingkungan Hidup, DLH), said that burning rubbish is one of the main triggers of worsening pollution in the capital. ‘Rubbish is one of the sources of air pollution, especially if burning rubbish is uncontrolled. The sanction is Rp500,000,’ she said in Central Jakarta on Thursday (5/3). According to Erni, the smoke from burning rubbish contains harmful particles that directly affect public health. In the context of Jakarta’s often fluctuating air quality, open burning will only exacerbate the situation. ‘Rubbish is also one of the polluters, especially if burning rubbish is uncontrolled,’ she asserted. Social sanctions under consideration: The Jakarta provincial government emphasises that reducing air pollution requires synergy between government policy and changes in public behaviour. Without discipline at household level, efforts to curb pollution will not be optimal. In addition to monetary penalties, DLH is examining social-sanction options for violators, such as publishing the offender’s identity or face on social media to deter others. However, the plan is still under review for its legality. ‘Punishing or sanctioning the public by viralising it—this is a social punishment, there must be a legal basis for it. This is what we must prepare,’ concluded Erni.