Flaming Landfills: How Indonesia’s Waste Problem Just Got Lit (in All the Wrong Ways)

Welcome to Breaking Waste, a newsletter series by Rekosistem where we break down waste issues with insights that won’t go to waste.

As Jesse Pinkman once said, "You either run from things, or you face them". In this first episode, we’ll discuss an issue that often gets overlooked, landfill fires. This waste crisis is something we've been avoiding responsibility for centuries and this time let us break it down for you!

A Routine Disaster: Mapping the Fires

Recently, keeping track of landfill fires in Indonesia has become almost as routine as your monthly groceries shopping. News of burning landfills pops up so often as it is expected. To give you a sense of the situation, there are usually two fires that break out every month in different areas of Indonesia. From July to September 2024, more than 20 landfills caught fire due to methane gas that builds up.

According to Law No. 18 of 2018 and Jakarta Regional Regulation No. 3 of 2013, open waste burning is prohibited for households and any other parties. Despite this, many households in Indonesia still burn their trash, which increases the risk of acute respiratory infections (ARI), especially for children. Thus, these fires are a wake up call, that if we don’t change our habit, the effect will continue to spiral out of control. 

Methane: The Gas Behind the Blaze

Did you know that one of the sources of methane comes from landfills? Landfills aren’t just piles of trash, they act like ticking time bombs, ready to explode at any moment. When organic waste—such as food scraps, yard waste, and other natural materials—breaks down in the low-oxygen environment of a landfill, it produces methane gas. 

This methane gas is highly flammable, and without a proper system to capture and manage it, it can cause fires that burn for days or even weeks. In Indonesia, the problem is made worse by poor waste segregation and limited infrastructure for managing inorganic and organic waste.

In 2005, a tragic incident at the Leuwigajah landfill occurred when a massive explosion caused a 60-meter pile of garbage to collapse, burying 157 people. This disaster led to the commemoration of February 21st as "Hari Sampah Nasional" to highlight the importance of proper waste management.

Indonesia’s Waste Management: A Burning System

Despite the high volumes of waste produced every day, much of it is either not sorted properly or left untreated. This contributes to overflowing landfills, where the mixing of organic and inorganic waste generates methane gas. Only a small portion of waste is recycled or composted and without systems to monitor or manage landfill gases, fires are happening more often and causing more damage.

To improve waste management in Indonesia, we need to focus on two main issues: waste segregation and inorganic waste processing. Proper waste segregation would allow inorganic material to be separated and recycled effectively, reducing the amount of methane produced in landfills. Investing in better waste treatment and recycling infrastructure is crucial to improve waste more effectively, which would lower the risk of methane accumulation and reduce the chances of future fires

Creating a Fireproof Future: A Call for Collaborative Solutions

Addressing Indonesia’s waste management crisis is a shared responsibility. The government, the private sector, and communities need to work together to reduce waste, promote sustainable practices, and prevent future fires. This means prioritizing waste segregation, building composting facilities, and investing in recycling programs. 

To truly break the cycle of waste mismanagement and landfill fires, we need to ask ourselves what more we can each do to make an impact. Can we move beyond throwing away our waste and take responsibility for our habits? How can the government and private sector collaborate with communities to make waste solutions accessible? 

We’d love to hear your thoughts! What small change would you make, and what big change would you demand? Join the conversation below and share your ideas. Or you can start making a difference by #PilahKemasSetor your waste at our Waste Station or subscribe to our Reko Pick-up service for business partners. Click here to explore more!

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