At Indonesia's largest landfill Bantargebang, waste picker Nur Wencih fears a government crackdown on open dumping could threaten her family's livelihood. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
Starting August 1, 2026, Indonesia plans to close hundreds of open-dumping sites and gradually restrict landfills to residual waste as part of efforts to cut methane emissions and improve waste management.
Nur Wencih has been a waste picker for two decades, supporting her family through this work. She worries the new regulations could destroy her source of income.
Hundreds of waste pickers at the landfill search for recyclable materials. Many depend on this job. The government's plan includes closing open dumps and introducing waste separation and recycling systems.
However, waste pickers are not ready for such changes. Most have no other skills. Nur Wencih says: "I only know how to pick waste. If this job disappears, what will I do?"
The Indonesian government is trying to modernize waste management to reduce methane emissions. But these measures may impact the lives of waste pickers.