Zone 4A Bantar Gebang Closed, Pramono Prepares Temporary Waste Disposal Sites
Jakarta — Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung announced that Zone 4 of the Bantar Gebang Integrated Waste Management Facility (TPST) in Bekasi, West Java, has been temporarily closed following a landslide at the facility. A 50-metre-high garbage mound collapsed on Sunday, 8 March 2026 at 14.30 local time, killing seven people who were buried in the debris, whilst six others at the location escaped safely.
Pramono stated that the provincial government has prepared two new sites to serve as temporary waste disposal locations, ensuring Jakarta’s waste management services continue uninterrupted. Whilst Zone 4A undergoes remediation, Zones 3 and 2, along with new sites, are being readied as temporary facilities rather than permanent ones.
“For the time being, whilst we wait for Zone 4A to be restored, we are preparing Zone 3 and two new zones for temporary use only, not permanently. Our hope is that Zone 4A can be rehabilitated soon,” Pramono said.
The provincial government has also committed to implementing guidance from the Ministry of Environment (KLH) to strengthen waste sorting processes from upstream sources. Given Bantar Gebang’s diminishing capacity, waste sorting must be conducted before being sent to the TPST. Jakarta’s daily waste volume is currently estimated at 7,400–8,000 tonnes.
“There will certainly be impacts from the landslide incident. To address this, we will conduct sorting at the end point and ensure not all waste is sent to Bantar Gebang,” Pramono said.
Additionally, the provincial government is accelerating operations at the Rorotan RDF Plant in North Jakarta, targeting a capacity of 1,000 tonnes per day.
“At Rorotan, we are working to complete the commissioning process so the facility can soon commence normal operations,” Pramono stated.
In a separate statement, Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said the fatal tragedy represents a stern warning to Jakarta’s provincial government to immediately cease waste management using the open dumping method, which continues to threaten residents’ and workers’ lives. The use of open dumping at this location violates Law Number 18 of 2008, as the existing system can no longer mitigate safety risks for the public.
“The non-compliance with regulatory requirements not only threatens loss of life due to potential secondary landslides but also serves as a source of massive environmental contamination,” Nurofiq stated.
He added that Bantar Gebang represents the tip of an iceberg regarding Jakarta’s failed waste management, currently holding a critical burden of 80 million tonnes of waste accumulated over 37 years.
“This tragedy need not have occurred had waste management been conducted in accordance with regulations. Bantar Gebang must serve as a lesson for us all to urgently reform for the sake of human safety and environmental preservation,” the minister said.
The Environment Ministry has initiated a comprehensive investigation and strict law enforcement to ensure the capital’s prolonged waste problem does not claim further lives. Those responsible will face strict sanctions under Law Number 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management, with penalties ranging from five to ten years imprisonment and fines of Rp5–10 billion for those whose negligence causes death.
The ministry previously issued warnings regarding the waste management conditions at Bantar Gebang, which was assessed as posing a high level of risk. Through its Deputy for Environmental Law Enforcement, it issued an Investigation Commencement Notice on 2 March 2026 against several waste management facilities deemed to pose risks, including Bantar Gebang TPST.