Antara News·Indonesia·Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 09:14 AM

Indonesia targets mercury-free status by 2030, PCB management by 2028

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Achmad Irfan, Yashinta Difa

Cilegon, Banten (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Environment Diaz Hendropriyono expressed optimism that Indonesia will meet its international commitments to eliminate mercury by 2030 and manage toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by 2028.

Speaking during visits to hazardous waste treatment facilities in Cilegon, Banten, and Nambo, West Java, Hendropriyono affirmed the Ministry of Environment and Environmental Control Agency's commitment to meeting international safety standards.

"Under the Minamata Convention, we aim to be mercury-free by 2030, while under the Stockholm Convention, we must fully manage PCBs by 2028," Hendropriyono said in a statement on Saturday.

"We appreciate waste management facilities like PT Wastec and PT PPLI for helping the government meet these targets," he added.

During his inspection of PT Wastec International in Cilegon, the country's only mercury treatment facility, he urged the operator to advance safe disposal methods, including encapsulation technology.

According to ministry data, authorities have collected 81,236 mercury-containing medical devices across 22 provinces. However, Hendropriyono warned that illegal mercury use remains prevalent in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), calling on law enforcement agencies to strengthen joint enforcement efforts.

"Mercury use is illegal and dangerous," he said, encouraging law enforcement agencies to send confiscated materials to accredited processors.

At PT Prasadha Pamunah Limbah Industri (PPLI) in Nambo, a facility established with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), discussions focused on overcoming logistical and administrative barriers to PCB treatment.

To prevent bottlenecks, the ministry plans to assist state-owned enterprises, including state electricity company PT PLN and energy company PT Pertamina, in transporting contaminated electrical equipment to specialized processing facilities.

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