Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — The Indonesian government has reaffirmed its strong commitment to protecting the country from hazardous waste. A total of 73 containers of illegal electronic waste (e-waste) imported from the United States have been intercepted and will soon be re-exported to their country of origin.
“This firm action reflects the government’s determination to safeguard environmental sovereignty. Indonesia will never allow itself to become a dumping ground for hazardous waste from other nations,” stated Minister of Environment, Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, in Jakarta.
The enforcement action followed the findings of the Deputy for Environmental Law Enforcement (GAKKUM LH) in collaboration with the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, which detected the suspected illegal importation of e-waste through Batu Ampar Port, Batam, between 22–27 September 2025.
In response, the Ministry of Environment promptly sent an official letter to the Directorate General of Customs to halt the release of the containers and to tighten supervision over several importing companies involved in electronic waste shipments.
A joint physical inspection by Customs and the Ministry of Environment confirmed that all 73 containers contained hazardous and toxic waste (B3) classified as B107d (electronic waste) and A108d (B3-contaminated waste). The materials included printed circuit boards (PCBs), rubber-coated cables, CPUs, hard drives, and other discarded electronic components.
The illegal shipment was traced to three companies: PT Logam Internasional Jaya, PT Esun Internasional Utama Indonesia, and PT Batam Battery Recycle Industry. All companies are now under legal investigation, and the containers are being processed for re-export to the United States.
The importation of such hazardous materials constitutes a serious violation of Article 106 of Law No. 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management, which carries penalties of 5–15 years in prison and fines ranging from Rp5 billion to Rp15 billion.
“This case proves that attempts to smuggle hazardous waste into Indonesia are still ongoing. We will coordinate with law enforcement agencies to bring this case to criminal court. In addition to administrative sanctions, those responsible will face criminal charges and fines as stipulated by environmental law,” said Deputy for Environmental Law Enforcement, Inspector General Rizal Irawan.
The interception and return of 73 containers of illegal e-waste underscore Indonesia’s firm stance in defending its environmental sovereignty and rejecting the notion of becoming the world’s dumping ground. (*)
