Ministry urges stronger waste management in C Java to prevent fires

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Environment Diaz Hendropriyono has urged concrete measures to improve waste management in Central Java following recurring fires at several sites, including the Jatibarang Landfill in Semarang.

According to a statement confirmed on Saturday, Diaz inspected the Jatibarang Landfill to assess the repeated blazes, as well as waste management at the Putri Cempo Landfill in Surakarta.

"The goal is to find a joint solution so that these fires do not happen again," he said.

Following the inspection on Thursday (Nov. 12), Diaz noted that Ministry of Environment data recorded 76 landfill fires across the country throughout 2026. The Jatibarang Landfill was among the hardest-hit sites, experiencing four separate fires in September 2026 alone.

Although compliance with Environment Minister Circular No. 11 of 2026 on Landfill Fire Prevention and Handling has reached roughly 90 percent, Diaz stressed that a thorough evaluation remains crucial to address the root causes of the problem.

During the visit, he also reviewed the construction of a wastewater treatment plant and the effectiveness of the site's methane gas capture facility.

The Ministry of Environment also handed over aid in the form of personal protective equipment, hoses, and injection nozzles to support firefighting efforts.

Beyond emergency management, Diaz urged stronger synergy among regional governments, industry stakeholders, and communities, including optimizing the processing of organic waste from the hotel, restaurant, and cafe sector through black soldier fly larvae (maggot) farming.

In addition, the ministry is drafting a ministerial regulation on extended producer responsibility to strengthen the funding ecosystem - from waste banks to the recycling industry - in support of Indonesia's target of achieving a 100 percent waste management rate by 2029.

In Surakarta, Diaz inspected the Putri Cempo Landfill and met with the Surakarta City Government and PT Solo Citra Metro Plasma Power (SCMPP) to address operational bottlenecks at the waste-to-energy facility, which has only been generating around 0.5 megawatts out of its 5-megawatt target.

He called for accelerating the resolution of technical issues, expanding the use of refuse-derived fuel, securing offtakers for organic waste, and strengthening grassroots initiatives such as the Solo Residents' Waste Sorting and Processing Movement.

Following the recurring fire incidents, the deputy minister urged the Surakarta City Government to step up compliance with the Environment Minister Circular No. 11 of 2026.

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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Raka Adji
Editor: Primayanti
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