Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said Thursday the equipment could now be used specifically for burning wood, bamboo and other organic biomass materials, particularly debris washed ashore on the island’s beaches.
“Incinerators can be used, specifically for wood processing — wood, bamboo and organic biomass,” he said on the sidelines of a beach cleanup event in Jimbaran, Badung District.
The minister said the operation of the incinerators would be closely supervised by a law enforcement team from the environment ministry to ensure that the machines are only used to process organic wood waste collected from coastal areas.
He stressed that the waste must not be mixed with other materials during incineration, a practice that previously led authorities to seal several units on the tourist island.
Although the reopening primarily aims to address the growing volume of wood and bamboo debris washed onto Bali’s beaches, Nurofiq said the equipment could also be used to process other organic waste under strict sorting requirements.
He warned that Bali’s modular incinerators have the potential to produce hazardous pollutants such as dioxins and furans if different types of waste are burned together.
“For example, plastic should not be mixed with food waste,” he said. “Plastic requires additional treatment and must be cleaned before entering the incinerator. Wood can go directly into the incinerator but should not be mixed with other materials.”
According to the minister, the requirement to separate waste is intended to encourage local authorities and residents to adopt proper waste sorting practices from the outset.
He added that incinerators would not be permitted to operate if the waste is not properly separated, recalling that the government previously sealed several units due to poor waste management practices.
Authorities have now granted permission for all 12 incinerator units in Bali to operate again, provided they process wood waste and properly sorted inorganic materials.
Badung District Head I Wayan Adi Arnawa welcomed the decision, saying it would help address the growing waste problem while plans for a long-delayed waste-to-energy project remain under development.
He said the local government would ensure waste separation before incineration to reduce the amount sent to landfills.
Arnawa added he had instructed local officials to separate incinerator use for wood and plastic waste so that each facility can process materials more efficiently.
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Translator: NI Putu Putri M, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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