Residents of Bali are grappling with a mounting waste crisis as irregular garbage collection leads some families to burn or dump household trash in their backyards. In the Gianyar regency, resident Indah Gryanti reports that residual waste is frequently left in piles along alleys because collection services have grow unreliable.
Systemic Failures and Landfill Constraints
The crisis has intensified following restrictions at the Suwung landfill, the island’s largest disposal site. Starting in April, the site began accepting only inorganic and residual waste due to overcapacity, a move that sparked protests where hundreds of garbage trucks lined up in front of the governor’s office in Denpasar.
Following discussions with the Bali Waste Self-Management Communication Forum (Forkom SSB), Governor I Wayan Koster decided to reopen the Suwung landfill for organic waste disposal until the end of July.
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The Impact of Tourism on Waste Production
Experts highlight a stark disparity between household and commercial waste. Reza Cordova, a researcher with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), stated that tourism activities in Bali produce three to five times more waste than households, driven largely by single-use plastics in restaurants and hotels.
Professor I Putu Anom of Udayana University noted that the crisis is particularly acute in southern Bali, the island’s primary tourism hub. He warned that the buildup of waste in front of homes and businesses could strain the image of the tourism sector, which serves as the backbone of the local economy.
Proposed Solutions and the WtE Project
To address the issue, Made Krisna Dinata of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) in Bali suggests expanding household-level organic waste management and requiring tourism businesses to conduct waste audits and implement reuse schemes.
The government is pursuing a long-term infrastructure project: a waste-to-energy (WtE) plant. This facility will be located on a 6ha plot of land in Benoa controlled by state-owned port operator Pelindo and is currently fulfilling environmental impact analysis (Amdal) requirements.
The WtE plant is slated for completion in November 2027 and is expected to begin operations in December 2027. Once active, It’s poised to manage 1,200 tonnes of waste daily from Badung and Denpasar, which represents roughly one-third of the 3,400 tonnes of waste produced daily in Bali in 2025.
Debating the ‘False Solution’
The WtE approach is not without critics. While BRIN describes it as a complementary solution
for difficult-to-recycle garbage, Walhi Bali warns it may be a false solution
that simply moves waste from landfills to incinerators without resolving the root causes of overproduction.
Future success may depend on whether the government can integrate this infrastructure with better waste sorting and education, as improper management could lead to emissions and a continued reliance on a steady waste supply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are some Bali residents burning their trash?
Due to irregular garbage truck schedules and a lack of reliable waste collection, some residents have opted to burn or dump household trash in their backyards.
How does tourism contribute to the waste problem?
Tourism activities, particularly the use of single-use plastics in hotels and restaurants, produce three to five times more waste than local households.
What is the timeline for the new waste-to-energy plant?
The project is expected to be completed in November 2027, with operations beginning in December 2027.
Do you believe industrial solutions like waste-to-energy plants are more effective than community-led waste reduction programs?
