Bantargebang Landfill Tragedy Shows Waste Management Failure, Minister Says

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq called Bantargebang the tip of the iceberg of Jakarta's failed waste management, which has now held a critical load of up to 80 million tons of waste for 37 years.

"We must address the root of Jakarta's waste problem so there are no more victims," said Environment Minister Hanif after inspecting the landslide site at the Bantargebang Landfill on Monday.

The landslide of a 50-meter-high mountain of waste in Zone IV of the Bantargebang Landfill on Sunday (March 8, 2026) at 2:30 p.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB), claiming four lives, is clear evidence of the systemic failure of waste management in Jakarta, which must no longer be tolerated.

The four victims who have been found are Enda Widayanti (25), Sumini (60), Dedi Sutrisno (22), and Iwan Supriyatin (40).

Environment Minister Hanif emphasized that this deadly tragedy is a stark warning to the Jakarta Provincial Government to immediately stop open dumping, a waste management method that continues to threaten the lives of residents and officials.

His office has also initiated a thorough investigation and strict law enforcement to ensure the capital's protracted waste problem does not claim more lives.

He emphasized that the use of open dumping at this location violates Law Number 18 of 2008 because the existing system is no longer able to reduce safety risks to residents.

This non-compliant condition not only threatens lives due to the potential for further landslides but also becomes a source of massive environmental pollution.

"This incident should not have happened if management had been carried out according to regulations. The Bantargebang Landfill should be a lesson for all of us to immediately improve for the safety of human life and environmental sustainability," he said.

The Bantargebang Landfill (TPST) has a dark history of a series of deadly tragedies, ranging from a residential landslide in 2003 to the collapse of Zone 3 in 2006, which claimed lives and buried dozens of scavengers.

This pattern of systemic failure continued until January 2026, when the foundation collapsed, dragging three garbage trucks into the riverbed, followed by another collapse of the garbage pile in March 2026. This series of repeated incidents demonstrates the fatal risks posed by overloading at the Bantargebang TPST.

Given the recurrence of these incidents and the risk to lives, Minister of the Environment Hanif emphasized that those responsible will be dealt with firmly in accordance with Law Number 32 of 2009 concerning Environmental Protection and Management.

Violators of this law face a prison sentence of 5-10 years and a fine of Rp5-10 billion for those whose negligence results in death. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry had previously issued a warning regarding the high-risk waste management situation in Bantargebang.

On March 2, 2026, the Deputy for Law Enforcement (Gakkum) of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry issued a Notice of Commencement of Investigation (SPDP) for several waste management locations deemed at risk, including the Bantargebang Landfill (TPST).

The government is prioritizing the evacuation of all victims while initiating a thorough investigation to take firm action against any management negligence that endangers the lives of residents.

As a long-term solution, the Bantargebang landfill will be redirected specifically to handle inorganic waste by strengthening the source-separation system and optimizing the Rorotan Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) facility.

Inter-agency synergy continues to be strengthened to ensure Jakarta's waste processing capacity reaches 8,000 tons per day safely and in accordance with regulations.

Read: Data on Victims of Bantargebang Landfill Landslide

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