Image: Rubbish dump. Credit: Star Berita.
An illegal rubbish dump in the Ungasan area of the Bukit was closed by Badung Environmental and Sanitation Agency (DLHK) on Sunday.
The Head of Badung DLHK, Eka Merthawan, confirmed that the dump site closure was initiated by a report from nearby a French resident, who complained of the unpleasant smell and the air pollution from the rubbish kept and burnt there. Before closing the site, the DLHK carried out an evaluation with South Kuta Camat, Ungasan Village Chief, Municipal Police, and other related parties.
He told reporters that initially the location was used since 2003 as an animal feed processing area. Then, after the owner felt that the income was not sufficient, he started to buy recycled rubbish. Then, the location became the place for scavengers. The valuable recycled rubbish was picked through and the poor stuff was left there. Then the rubbish dump site was further developed and became the dump site for 3,000 customers from 10 residential areas. “The ten residential areas are from Pecatu, Ungasan, and Jimbaran,” he said to balipost.com.
When the DLHK checked the location, it was found that the rubbish dump site was unregistered and was causing a great stench and severe air pollution, caused by burning trash. He said that this violated the Environment Law Number 32 of 2009 and the waste management. “The regional government has regulated this with Regional Law Number 7 of 2013,” he said.
He said that at the moment the department has still given the owner time to close because they cannot just close it as it will impact some 3,000 households. “We will conditionally close it until April 15. Then we will seal it closed,” he said.
Meanwhile, to prevent the smell, his team has advised the owner to cover the rubbish with dirt and has given them time to pick out and sell the plastic. To maintain the sanitation of Badung regency, his side will carry out the same action on the similar businesses in other locations. (I believe there is one on Jalan Nakula they could have a look at. ED)
When contacted by BaliPost, the owner of the site, I Wayan Nukarta, a Banjar Angasari resident from Ungasan, said that they had been operating since 2003. At that time, all of the villages on South Kuta dumped their rubbish on his site. Because the place was full, he asked the villagers to handle their own rubbish from 2009. All this time, every household from ten residences were charged Rp15,000 to Rp20,000 per month, and they could collect until 25 tons of rubbish every day. To handle it, he hired 30 employees.
Meanwhile, South Kuta Camat, Made Widiana, said that he opposed the unregistered dump sites like this. The government hoped that there will be no more unregistered rubbish dump site like this. He also asked the waste management businessmen to record the data of the group chiefs of the residences that they serve. Because, after the closure, the rubbish must be dumped at Suwung rubbish dump site. “The cost will definitely rise. That’s why we will be promoting and socializing this in the area,” he said.
