Sorong and Makassar Adopt Waste Policies to Curb Fires

In Sorong, acting regional secretary Ruddy Laku led a morning briefing urging all civil servants to educate residents against burning waste or clearing land by fire during the dry season. He highlighted recent fires in several neighbourhoods, praised the quick response of the fire department, disaster agency and social services, and directed local agencies to finalize budget documents for special‑region funds.

In Makassar, mayor Munafri Arifuddin presented a comprehensive waste‑management strategy at a United Cities and Local Governments forum in Depok. He explained that the city’s open‑dump landfill, covering 21 hectares and reaching up to seven metres high, had been subjected to administrative sanctions, prompting an accelerated conversion to a sanitary landfill. Over 85 % of the waste mound is now covered, with methane captured for energy and leachate treated for reuse, while household waste segregation is being promoted to reinforce circular economy practices. Both cities aim to reduce fire risk and improve waste handling.