Enviro News Asia, Indramayu — In a concerted effort to improve air quality and restore Indonesia’s blue skies, Minister of Environment and Head of the Environmental Control Agency (KLH/BPLH), Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, conducted a working visit to three strategic locations in West Java: the Balongan Refinery, the Indramayu Biodiversity Park (Kehati), and the Kopi Luhur Final Waste Processing Site (TPA) in Cirebon.
These activities form part of a national strategy for comprehensive and systemic air pollution control.
At Pertamina Refinery Unit VI (RU VI) Balongan, Minister Hanif inspected the readiness for the production and distribution of low-sulfur fuel equivalent to Euro IV standards (maximum 50 ppm).
This type of fuel is crucial, as an estimated 35–57% of air pollution in Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek) originates from motor vehicle emissions using high-sulfur fuels.
“Blue skies cannot be achieved if we don’t address the sources of pollution. Low-sulfur fuel is not just a technical requirement; it’s a public necessity. Public health must take precedence over short-term efficiency,” emphasized Minister Hanif in his official statement on Saturday (June 15, 2025).
Minister Hanif urged PT Pertamina and all fuel policy stakeholders to commit to providing environmentally friendly fuels to the public.
To strengthen the policy framework, he has also sent official letters to the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), the Minister of Finance, and PT Pertamina to expedite the nationwide availability of low-sulfur fuel—targeting at least 24% for gasoline and 10% for diesel (including biodiesel) by the end of the year.
“Article 99, paragraph (1) of Law No. 32 of 2009 states that any person whose negligence causes pollution exceeding environmental quality standards may face up to one year in prison and a maximum fine of one billion rupiah. ‘Any person’ in this law applies to everyone without exception. Therefore, Pertamina and all relevant parties must take this matter seriously,” Minister Hanif asserted.
Continuing his mission to improve air quality, Minister Hanif visited the Indramayu Biodiversity Park (Taman Kehati). There, he planted a mahogany tree (Swietenia mahagoni), a species known for its effectiveness in absorbing carbon monoxide and fine particulates, as well as for producing a high amount of oxygen.
The Kehati Park replicates a 3.83-hectare brackish wetland ecosystem of the North Coast (Pantura), and is home to 19 swamp tree species, 24 upland tree species, 18 bird species, 5 reptile species, and actively conserved Timor deer (Rusa timorensis).
“Taman Kehati proves that green spaces save us. They absorb pollutants, maintain air humidity, and serve as habitats that help balance ecosystems,” Minister Hanif stated.
The agenda concluded with a visit to the Kopi Luhur Final Waste Processing Site in Cirebon City—an open dumping site deemed unfit for operation. With a daily waste volume of 160 tons and a damaged leachate treatment facility (IPL), the site is a significant source of methane emissions and local air pollution.
“This site has been subjected to an Administrative Enforcement Sanction. The resolution timeframe is just six months. If there’s no concrete action, we will escalate the matter to criminal prosecution as mandated by Law No. 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management,” Minister Hanif warned.
Minister Hanif instructed the Heads of the Cirebon City Environmental Agency and the West Java Provincial Environmental Agency to collaborate closely in fulfilling the sanctions. He also stressed the urgency of implementing capping measures, converting the site into a sanitary landfill, and developing a community-level 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) waste management system.
“Within six months, capping must be carried out. Close this landfill. Conduct assessments and repairs, and together, we will find the solution,” concluded Minister Hanif. (*)
