Indonesia moves to end open dumping after deadly landfill fire

A massive fire erupted at the Jatiwaringin landfill in Tangerang, Banten, destroying nearly half of the site and forcing more than 200 residents to seek shelter. Fire‑fighting crews deployed about 300 personnel, 19 machines, four water tankers and three helicopters to extinguish the blaze, which was later attributed to weak waste‑management practices rather than natural causes. Indonesia's Environment Minister pledged to halt all open‑dumping operations by the end of 2026.

In response, the Purwakarta regency is overhauling its Cikolotok landfill, employing cover‑soil layers, drainage systems, leachate ponds and terracing to curb odour, pests and pollution. More than 60% of the remediation work is complete, following the central government’s directive to stop open dumping nationwide.