Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – The government has stressed that it will not tolerate the import of hazardous and toxic waste (B3) that could threaten public health and damage the environment. Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq emphasized that the suspected illegal import of electronic waste by PT Esun International Utama Indonesia (PT Esun) in Riau Islands Province demonstrates the government’s commitment to firmly enforcing environmental laws.
“The government will not allow any room for illegal practices that harm the people,” Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq declared in an official statement on Wednesday (Sept 24, 2025).
Hanif cited Law No. 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management, which prohibits anyone from importing hazardous waste, including electronic waste. The penalties are severe, ranging from five to fifteen years in prison and fines of billions of rupiah. “The PT Esun case must serve as a warning to all businesses not to play games with the law,” he said.
Rizal Irawan, Deputy for Environmental Law Enforcement (Gakkum) at the Ministry of Environment, discovered six containers of electronic waste originating from the United States that had already entered the Riau Islands Province. Some of the waste had even been processed at PT Esun’s facilities. The imports were conducted without official notification between the exporting and importing countries, thereby violating the Basel Convention, which Indonesia ratified through Presidential Regulation No. 47 of 2005.
On-site inspections revealed that the containers contained various damaged electronic components, including laptop chargers, hard drives, PCBs, and computer monitors. All of these materials are classified as B3 electronic waste under code B107d. Such actions clearly breach regulations and could pose serious risks to health and the environment if not properly handled.
Rizal Irawan also underlined that this enforcement action is not merely a legal case but a strategic step to safeguard national sovereignty. “The import of B3 waste is strictly prohibited because it poses serious risks to public health and ecosystems. The government will not allow practices that harm the people and damage the environment,” Rizal asserted.
As a follow-up, the Ministry of Environment will ensure the re-export of the illegal electronic waste to its country of origin or to another country with proper waste management facilities in accordance with international regulations. This measure underscores the government’s seriousness in upholding environmental law. (*)
