Ministry urges strict B3 waste compliance to industry

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment / Environmental Control Agency has urged industrial operators to strictly comply with hazardous and toxic waste (B3) management requirements, warning that non-compliant companies could have their operational certificates revoked.

The warning was delivered during a technical workshop on polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hazardous waste management held in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, last Tuesday (September 29), as Indonesia works to meet its international commitment to eliminate PCBs by 2028 under the Stockholm Convention.

"Hazardous and toxic waste generators are required to manage their waste properly. Record-keeping and reporting must be clear and transparent," the ministry’s Director of Hazardous and Non-Hazardous Waste Management Amsor said in a statement on Friday.

He said failure to comply may result in the revocation of the company's Operational Feasibility Certificate (SLO).

A central focus of the directive is the management of PCBs, highly carcinogenic chemical compounds known to cause severe reproductive and immune system damage.

Indonesia is one of only three countries in Southeast Asia, alongside Malaysia and the Philippines, equipped with a specialized PCB management facility operated by PT Prasadha Pamunah Limbah Industri (PPLI).

The ministry’s Director of Hazardous and Toxic Waste Management, Firdaus Alim Damopolii, urged industrial operators to audit their operations and align practices in the field with their official environmental approvals in accordance with Government Regulation No. 74 of 2001 on Management of Hazardous and Toxic Materials.

"Companies that have not yet aligned their field practices with their permits must immediately update their environmental approvals," Firdaus said, noting that clear technical understanding speeds up compliance and official ministry recommendations.

Responding to the government's call, PT PPLI Technical & SHEQ Director Elpido welcomed the ministry's guidance, noting that proactive support helps prepare industrial facilities for rigorous performance evaluations, including the national PROPER B3 assessment framework.

Related news: Forestry Ministry reclaims 300 ha in Bengkulu elephant corridor

Translator: Prisca Triferna Violleta, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
Copyright © ANTARA 2026