Minister sets 2027 deadline to close open dumping landfills

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia has set 2027 as the deadline for regional governments to phase out open dumping practices at landfills (TPA), Environment Minister Moh. Jumhur Hidayat said.

"Authorities will monitor the actions of regional heads regarding open landfills in response to El Niño. Hopefully, by next year, these landfills will no longer be operational," he stated in Jakarta on Friday.

Starting in 2027, only controlled and sanitary landfills will be permitted to operate. Controlled landfills require waste to be compacted and periodically covered with soil, while sanitary landfills involve daily soil cover and are equipped with impermeable liners to prevent soil and groundwater contamination.

In addition, the minister urged regional heads to take sustainable measures to prevent landfill fires, particularly ahead of the prolonged El Niño period forecast for Indonesia.

"We continue to monitor these measures. We have issued a circular to regional governments and are overseeing their compliance. Failure to follow it could lead to accidents. For instance, a person smoking or even a small spark from a dry branch can ignite methane gas," Hidayat explained.

The ministry is strengthening cross-sector collaboration to ensure all landfills using open dumping practices are closed by 2027. A circular has been issued to regional governments, and several regions have begun transitioning from open dumping to controlled or sanitary landfill systems.

According to ministry data, Indonesia has 485 landfills, with about 30 percent having discontinued open dumping by the end of 2025. The remaining 369 landfills are expected to transition to environmentally friendly systems, including controlled and sanitary landfills.

Under its nationwide supervisory efforts, the Ministry of Environment has monitored 388 landfills, with 273 receiving administrative sanctions, 231 ordered to discontinue open dumping, and 22 ordered to cease operations over waste management violations.

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Translator: Lintang Budiyanti P, Resinta Sulistiyandari

Editor: Arie Novarina

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