■ Current Status and Scale of Crisis
○ According to Indonesian government statistics, approximately 75% of daily waste is treated through unofficial methods such as open dumping, incineration, and abandonment.
○ The largest landfill in Jakarta, Bantargebang, covers an area of approximately 110 hectares and reaches a height of up to 60 meters, accommodating 7,500 tons of waste daily. In March of this year, a collapse accident caused by heavy rain resulted in the deaths of seven people.
○ According to an analysis by the UCLA STOP Methane Initiative in the United States, Bantargebang will be the world's second-largest landfill methane emission source by 2025. Currently, only two out of the original twelve methane capture facilities are operational.
■ Government Reform Direction
○ The Indonesian government plans to ban open dumping at 343 out of 550 landfills nationwide starting from August 1st and mandate a transition to controlled or sanitary landfill methods.
○ Residents will be required to separate organic waste and recyclables, and the plan also includes introducing solid fuel (RDF, Refuse-Derived Fuel) production facilities.
○ The Jakarta Environment Agency has already begun covering the open dumping areas of Bantargebang with waterproof sheets, and it is estimated that up to 200 billion rupiah (approximately 27 billion won) will be required for the treatment of remaining areas.
■ Future Challenges
○ Environmental group YPBB analyzes that approximately 50% of Jakarta's waste is compostable and 30% is recyclable. They believe that if proper separation is implemented, up to 80% of waste could be diverted from landfills.
○ Protecting the livelihoods of approximately 600,000 waste collectors nationwide remains a challenge. Over 4,000 waste collectors are registered at Bantargebang alone, and they have played a crucial role in the recycling supply chain.
○ The UCLA research team points out that reducing organic waste input is effective for methane reduction, but continuous methane monitoring and capture are necessary at existing landfills for decades.
■ Term Explanation
* Open dumping (open dumping): A waste treatment method in which waste is piled up outdoors without covering it with soil or installing pollution control facilities. Unlike sanitary landfills, waste is not covered with soil.
* Solid fuel (RDF, Refuse-Derived Fuel): Refers to the technology of processing waste into fuel and is included in this Indonesian waste reform plan.
