DENPASAR, Bali — In a significant administrative shift, the central government in Jakarta has granted Bali a crucial extension to resolve its long-standing waste management crisis. The mandated closure of the island’s primary landfill, the Sarbagita Regional Final Disposal Site (TPA) in Suwung, has been postponed from the scheduled date of Tuesday, December 23, 2025, to February 28, 2026.
The decision, formalized in an official letter signed by Indonesia’s Minister of Environment and Forestry, Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, comes in direct response to urgent appeals from Bali’s provincial and district leaders. It highlights the immense logistical and infrastructural challenges Bali faces in transitioning away from a system that has handled its waste for decades.
A Cascade of Appeals from the Island
The path to the extension reveals the depth of local concern. Official letters requesting a delay were sent separately by the Mayor of Denpasar and the Regent of Badung—the two jurisdictions most reliant on Suwung—to the Minister in mid-December. These were followed by a formal letter from Bali Governor I Wayan Koster, who conveyed the unified request of the local governments to the national ministry.
Governor Koster affirmed Bali’s commitment to ultimately closing the environmentally problematic site. “In principle, the Bali Provincial Government highly respects and is committed to implementing the Minister’s decision to close the Suwung TPA,” Koster stated. However, the appeals underscored that the December 23 deadline was logistically unattainable, necessitating more time to implement alternative systems.
The Pressure Behind the Deadline
The push for closure stems from serious environmental and legal violations. The Suwung landfill has operated as an “open dumping” site, a practice banned under Indonesian Law No. 18 of 2008 on Waste Management. This method, where waste is piled without proper lining or processing, creates severe pollution, produces potent greenhouse gases like methane, and significantly degrades the quality of life for surrounding communities.
In 2025, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry issued a decisive administrative sanction (Decree No. 921/2025), ordering the cessation of open dumping at Suwung and giving local authorities a 180-day window to comply, which initially expired on December 23.
The Challenge Ahead: Building a New System
The two-month extension is not a cancellation but a stay of execution. The core directive to end open dumping and close the landfill remains firmly in place. The reprieve provides a critical window for Bali’s administration to accelerate the development of a modern, decentralized waste management network.
As directed by Governor Koster, the focus for Denpasar and Badung must now be on optimizing and expanding alternative infrastructure before the new February deadline. This includes:
- Modern Waste Processing Sites (Tempat Pengolahan Sampah Terpadu)
- Reduce-Reuse-Recycle (TPS3R) facilities
- Community-based source sorting and processing programs
For residents, expatriates, and business owners in South Bali, this development means the immediate waste collection crisis reported in recent days may see temporary relief. However, it also confirms that the island’s journey toward a sustainable waste solution remains a complex and urgent work in progress, with a firm new deadline now set on the horizon.
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