Trashes in dumpsite (TPS) on Jalan Raya Matraman, Kampung Melayu Urban Village, Jatinegara Sub-District, East Jakarta, are mounting due to not being picked up for more than two days. Besides causing rotten smell, the trashes are also spilling out onto the street.

The trash is usually picked up every day. But since we are lacking of dump trucks, the trash pickup process got delayed

It is estimated that the five-meter high trash pile is weighted almost eight tons. Local residents are worried that if the trash not picked up immediately, it would cause infectious diseases.

“The trash is usually picked up every day. But since we are lacking of dump trucks, the trash pickup process got delayed. As a result, trash piles are getting higher,” said Alan (17), one of the janitors in Matraman Dumpsite, Wednesday (10/22).

Meanwhile, Head of East Jakarta Cleanliness Sub-Department, Apul Silalahi, admitted that the lack of dump trucks has made the trash pickup in some dumpsites got delayed. From 154 dump trucks owned by his department, 92 of them are already 15 years old.

“Lack of worthy dump trucks makes trash transportation to Bantargebang suboptimal,” he stated.

According to Silalahi, the average volume of trashes transported to Bantar Gebang Integrated Waste Treatment (TPST) reaches 1,800 tons per day. But besides lack of dump trucks problem, his department is also lacking of dumpsites. Whereas, urban village and sub-district parties have been told many times to provide dumpsites in their jurisdictions.