Banjarmasin allocates tens billion to address waste emergency

Banjarmasin, S Kalimatan (ANTARA) - The City Government of Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, allocates tens of billions to address waste emergency caused by the closure of the Basirih final waste processing site (TPAS).

Head of the Banjarmasin Regional Revenue and Asset Management Agency (BPKPAD) H Edy Wibowo here on Friday said the waste management budget in the 2025 revised budget (APBD-P) has increased significantly.

"We allocate Rp38 billion in the 2025 revised budget for waste management," he said.

The increase occurred because the city is experiencing waste emergency due to the closure of Basirih TPAS by the Environment Ministry (KLH) on February 1, 2025. Final waste disposal then diverted to the regional landfill of Banjabakula owned by the provincial government of South Kalimantan in Banjarbaru City.

Cost of transporting waste that cannot be reused after being fully sorted, also repairments needed to Basirih landfill.

"Several repairments will be made, such as embankment and sanitation at the Basirih TPAS," he said.

Head of Banjarmasin Environment Agency (DLH) Alive Yoesfah Love explained that the main focus of the budget use is waste reduction and processing.

It aligns with directives from KLH and the Ministry of Public Works (PU).

His agency has moved quickly to follow up on sanctions imposed. “Of the 22 sanctions imposed by KLH, we have implemented 19 and the other three in the process of being fanalized," he said.

One of the main priorities is deactivating two zones at the already full Basirih TPAS, which covers an area of almost eight hectares.

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The process of deactivation requires extensive landfilling, both for final closure and daily closure towards applying sanitary landfill system.

"We implement this in accordance with the direction of Public Works Ministry," he said.

In addition to Basirih landfill, the budget also allocated to repair and equip facilities at 14 reduce, reuse, and recycle transfer stations (TPS3R).

The majority of facilities at TPS3R are damaged, additional equipment for waste sorting and processing is urgently needed for optimal operation.

"Of the 14 sites, five have received equipment and additional equipment will be added for the remaining nine," he said.

Alive stated that medium-term planning has been prepared until 2027. The plan includes improvements to landfill system, separation of leachate and rainwater, as well as development of waste sanitation treatment at the Basirih TPAS.