TPST Tojan waste smoulders as village government claims residue spontaneously combusts
Garbage piles at the integrated waste treatment site ( TPST) Dharma Asri in Tojan Village, Banjarangkan subdistrict, Klungkung, Bali, remain smouldering and emit smoke. The smoke from the residual waste piles is carried by the wind onto the main highway.
detikBali’s observations show TPST Dharma Asri in Tojan Village appears to have ceased operations. The entrance is covered in smouldering residual waste. While the smoke does not rise high, it occasionally drifts onto the highway.
The TPST is located approximately 50 metres from the Ida Bagus (IB) Mantra bypass. Despite proximity to the main road, the smoke does not appear to disrupt passing motorists.
Tojan Village head I Wayan Suastawa claims the village government has never intentionally burned waste at the TPST. He states the residual piles self-ignited due to gases from the waste.
“It self-ignites because of gas. We have repeatedly tried to extinguish it, even calling the fire department,” Suastawa told detikBali on Monday, 1 June 2026.
Suastawa explained the waste buildup leading to the fires began when the TOSS Center Karangdadi in Kusamba restricted waste acceptance from villages. Consequently, the TPST can no longer dispose of waste as before.
“This is our problem. We do not and cannot intentionally burn it. It spontaneously combusts. We continue to monitor it,” he added.
Suastawa said the village has few options but wait for the TOSS Center Karangdadi to reopen for waste shipments from Klungkung villages.
Meanwhile, Wayan Suminta, a 42-year-old vendor along the IB Mantra bypass, said the TPST’s smoke does not affect nearby residents. He also stated there is no pungent smell from the burning.
“I can see smoke, but no smell and no disturbance,” Suminta said.
It is known that since TOSS Center Karangdadi restricted waste from villages, several TPSTs in inland Klungkung have struggled to manage waste. detikBali noted some TPSTs, such as in Kampung Gelgel, Klungkung subdistrict, have resorted to burning.
In addition to burning, some TPS and TPSTs have beenburying waste in soil or using open dumping, like the Banjarangan TPS in Banjarangan subdistrict.
Currently, Klungkung regency government’s hopes are focused on the operation of a pyrolysis machine from Cook Islands at TOSS Center Karangdadi. The machine is claimed to process up to eight tonnes of waste per hour and handle 80 to 120 tonnes daily.
However, the pyrolysis machine, managed by PT Inpac Solutions Indo and PT Bali Bersih Bersinar, remains in the assembly and micro-scale testing phase.