Jakarta fines waste firms over illegal dumping

Jakarta has imposed fines on six waste collection firms for illegally disposing of garbage, as the capital intensifies enforcement amid a burgeoning waste crisis following the gradual closure of its primary landfill, Bantar Gebang, in Bekasi. The Jakarta Environment Agency launched an investigation last month, uncovering that three companies—PT Hino Karya Mandiri, PT Cuan International Group, and CV Wira Satria Mandiri—operated unlicensed garbage trucks.

Another entity, CV Super Steel Tiga Bersaudara, was found transporting waste to an unauthorized dumpsite, while a fifth company, CV Al Ihsaniah, was also discovered managing waste without the necessary permits. These five companies were only permitted to transport waste to designated disposal sites. Licensed waste management companies in Jakarta number 68, including those servicing commercial establishments like hotels and restaurants.

Under a 2013 waste management bylaw, companies must secure a distinct permit to handle waste post-collection to ensure compliance with segregation and environmental safety norms. Authorized garbage trucks are also mandatory for licensed operators. The agency fined each of the six companies the maximum penalty of Rp 10 million (US$281) and warned that their permits could be revoked for repeated infractions.

The crackdown aims to halt the cycle of illegal dumping in the capital. Agency director Dudi Gardesi Asikin emphasized, "No waste transport or management should occur outside the official system." Every party must assume responsibility for the waste they generate, as flawed management endangers the public and the environment. The landfill closure has prompted makeshift dumpsites, including a reported six-hectare illegal dumpsite in Cilincing, North Jakarta, where garbage piles reach 10 meters high.

Residents and waste firms allegedly barred journalists from reporting on the illegal dumping, drawing criticism from press groups.