Residents on Indonesia’s Bali resort to burning trash after landfill ban on organic waste
A major landfill's partial closure has led to widespread burning of organic waste, creating a new environmental crisis.
A critical waste management crisis is unfolding on the Indonesian island of Bali. The Suwung landfill, located just 10km from Denpasar International Airport, has reached near-capacity and as of April 1st has stopped accepting all organic waste. This category, which includes household scraps and spoiled produce from the island's massive tourism industry, constitutes about 65% of Bali's total rubbish. The landfill previously processed roughly 1,000 tonnes of waste daily. The ban was intended to divert organic matter to composting facilities, but the infrastructure for this transition is not in place.
With no viable alternative, residents across Bali have resorted to burning their organic trash in gardens and backyards. This practice releases harmful particulate matter and toxins directly into the air, creating immediate public health risks and contributing to long-term environmental degradation. The situation is exacerbated by the sheer volume of organic waste generated by Bali's hundreds of hotels and beach clubs. The crisis underscores the severe consequences of inadequate planning for sustainable waste processing in a region dependent on its natural beauty for tourism.
- The Suwung landfill, handling 1,000 tonnes of waste daily, has banned organic intake as it nears capacity.
- Organic waste from tourism and households makes up roughly two-thirds of all rubbish on the island.
- The lack of composting infrastructure has led to widespread open burning, creating a new public health hazard.
Why It Matters
This failure in waste management threatens public health, damages the environment, and risks the tourism economy Bali depends on.