Waste as a New Economic Asset
Waste should no longer be viewed as a problem. Samarinda City Government is urging citizens and industries to shift their mindset on waste to a new economic asset through investment, technology, and regulatory synergy.
Samarinda Mayor Andi Harun stated that the city government is accelerating the implementation of the Waste-to-Energy Plant (PSEL/PLTSa) project as part of efforts to achieve modern and sustainable waste management. ‘This project is projected to reduce waste generation while supporting the transition to clean energy,’ said Harun.
Samarinda’s readiness for implementing environmentally friendly waste management technology policies has entered the site verification phase at Sambutan Landfill. The verification was conducted based on the Field Verification Report for the Proposed Land for Environmentally Friendly Waste-to-Energy Plant in Samarinda Raya on Wednesday, 29 April 2026.
However, the local government still faces challenges, particularly fiscal constraints in land preparation. The site must meet ‘clean and clear’ specifications: flat, compacted soil, and free from vegetation and structures.
Samarinda City Government has allocated 10 hectares of land for the PSEL project, comprising 6.51 hectares of dry land and 3.49 hectares of former mining lake. Of the dry land, only about 2 hectares have been prepared, with the remainder still hilly or covered in natural vegetation.
During operations, the Samarinda Raya PSEL will receive a minimum of 660 tonnes of waste daily from Samarinda City and 50 tonnes from Kutai Kartanegara Regency. The total processed waste will reach 710 tonnes per day, per the Cooperation Agreement signed in Jakarta on Friday, 10 April 2026.
Harun added that Samarinda City Government is coordinating with the city council (DPRD) and central government to expedite PSEL implementation. Local authorities are responsible for providing land, ensuring waste volume, and supporting infrastructure to maintain raw material supply. The Samarinda DPRD has shown support through Letter No. 900.1/447/020 dated 7 April 2026, endorsing budget allocation for the PSEL project.
On another front, source-separated waste strategies are being strengthened through education and outreach of the Probebaya Programme since 2025. Samarinda City Government encourages households to sort waste and establish more waste banks at the neighbourhood level (RT). This is crucial for maintaining waste-to-energy feedstock quality, as properly sorted waste prevents calorific value reduction due to high moisture from organic waste.
Regarding the partnership model, Samarinda City Government considers the Government-Business Cooperation (KPBU) scheme the most relevant for PSEL construction. ‘This model offers stronger funding capacity, measured risk-sharing, and central government support through the Indonesia Infrastructure Guarantee Fund (PII) and Viability Gap Fund (VGF),’ Harun said. KPBU also provides long-term legal certainty via 30-year contracts protected by law.
To meet the national waste management target by 2029, Samarinda City Government aims to accelerate PSEL facility construction to support a circular economy and clean energy. ‘We will close open landfills and replace them with a more modern and environmentally safe waste management system,’ Harun said.