"Indonesia continues to be wasteful with food management, as 39.87 percent, or nearly 20 million tons, of our waste is food," he said during the Asta Sekolah and Kampus event, which was broadcast online on Saturday.
"While many struggle to find food, we discard waste, with 40 percent being food waste," Nurofiq highlighted.
These figures are based on data from the Ministry of Environment's National Waste Management Information System (SIPSN), which pegged total waste generation in 303 districts and cities at 32.8 million tons in 2024.
Food waste dominated this total, followed by plastic waste, which accounted for 19.54 percent of the total. Meanwhile, organic waste from wood and twigs accounted for 12.7 percent, and paper and cardboard made up 11.09 percent.
Other waste types included metal, cloth, rubber, glass, and various miscellaneous materials.
Minister Nurofiq noted that a significant portion of Indonesia's waste remains unmanaged, as evidenced by the widespread use of open dumping in landfills and the leakage of waste into the environment.
Therefore, the ministry is actively enforcing waste management regulations, including issuing administrative sanctions in the form of government coercion and pursuing criminal action against illegal landfills.
These enforcement efforts are being coupled with initiatives to raise waste awareness, particularly through educational programs in schools and universities, such as the Asta Sekolah and Kampus event, which was held as part of the commemoration of National Waste Care Day (HPSN) 2025.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna Violleta, Aditya Eko Sigit Wicakso
Editor: Primayanti
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