Indonesia expands waste management from local clean‑up to large‑scale waste‑to‑energy projects

In Kulonprogo, Yogyakarta, growing plastic litter around the Kabanaran Bridge and nearby irrigation channels has prompted the regional Environment Agency to increase patrols, conduct regular clean‑ups and call on street vendors and visitors to improve waste disposal practices to protect agricultural water supplies.

In Bali, a waste‑to‑energy (PSEL) plant is under construction after PT PLN and Danantara Investment signed a sponsor and power‑purchase agreement for a Rp 3 trillion project. The facility aims to process up to 1,500 tonnes of waste per day, generate electricity enough for roughly 100,000 households, and create about 1,200 green jobs, with long‑term power sales to PLN under a government‑approved tariff.

On the Kepulauan Seribu islands near Jakarta, the local environmental office reports that source‑level waste segregation has reached 59 percent. The program includes using organic waste as duck feed on Untung Jawa Island and expanding community‑based education agents to keep waste off the mainland, aligning with the governor’s directive to reduce waste transport to Jakarta.

Collectively, these efforts illustrate Indonesia’s push to improve waste handling, reduce pollution, and harness waste as an energy and economic resource.