Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Environment has sought a commitment from regional governments to tackle the issue of landfill management, which is not yet optimal, including problems related to waste management budgets.Several progressive policies have been made by Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq to resolve waste management issues in the country, the ministry's waste management director, Novrizal Taher, said at a press conference here on Friday.
Taking note of landfills still pursuing open dumping practices, the Ministry of Environment has sent a letter to 306 regional heads where the practices are still being implemented, asking them to make immediate improvements.
"Various policies have been applied by the minister. These are very firm and progressive policies. Of course, we hope for a commitment from regional governments," Taher informed.
He said that the issue of budget for waste management is still one of the challenges to solving problems related to waste in several regions.
Earlier, the Ministry of Environment sealed three landfills and imposed administrative sanctions on two landfills for failing to comply with the laws and regulations regarding the waste management process.
Baca juga: Ministry asks producers to make waste reduction road map
The landfills that were sealed included the Sarbagita Suwung Landfill in Bali, the Burangkeng Landfill in Bekasi district, and the Sarimukti Landfill in West Java province.
The ministry's deputy for environmental law enforcement also took legal action against illegal landfill managers in several regions.
Baca juga: Nurrofiq seeks solutions to Jakarta's mounting waste problem
Earlier, the Ministry of Environment carried out an evaluation of the management of 306 landfills in Indonesia. Many of them were found to be still following open dumping practices and were encouraged to shift to sanitary landfill or controlled landfill methods.
According to the National Waste Management Information System, national waste generation in 2023 reached 38.4 million tons per year. Of the total, the amount of waste managed nationally reached 61.62 percent while the rest was not managed properly. (