PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - The Mayor of Bandung, Muhammad Farhan, requires all managed areas, especially the tourism sector, to implement a zero waste system within the next three months.

He conveyed this after attending the West Java Special Travel Mart and the Launch of the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (Parwindo) at the Horison Ultima Hotel Bandung, Tuesday (10/2/2026).

Farhan stated that waste management is Bandung City's biggest challenge. He believes the beauty of tourist destinations will be damaged if waste is not managed properly.

"Every managed area in Bandung City must be zero-waste. If there's no commitment within three months, I'm sorry, but sanctions will be imposed," he stressed.

As a first step, the Bandung City Government developed a zone-based waste management model, which has been implemented in several markets. Caringin Market, which previously accumulated 500 tons of old waste, is now declared clean.

"Caringin can be said to be complete. All 500 tons of old waste have been removed. Now, only the daily waste pile remains, and that's being managed in a B2B partnership with a third party," he said.

A similar model was previously implemented at Gedebage Market and will subsequently be implemented at Ciroyom Market. The city government is also overseeing infrastructure improvements, including drainage at Caringin Market, which is considered to be in poor condition and requires immediate private management.

Farhan cited the good practices implemented by the Mercure Hotel on Jalan Supratman. The hotel has implemented its own organic waste management system and a robust wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) system, allowing wastewater to be treated before being discharged into the drainage system.

"Organic waste will not be transported. Only residue will be transported, and even then, it will be sorted into recyclable and RDF waste. Only certain types of waste, such as LB3, require special processing," he explained.

He revealed that currently, Bandung City is only able to manage 22 percent of the 1,597 tons of waste it produces daily. The target is to increase this management rate to 36 percent by April 2026, and according to the 2026 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), it should reach 65 percent.

"The key is the involvement of all parties, including tourism actors," he said.

Based on quantitative parameters from the Ministry of Environment, Bandung City's waste management score currently reaches 54.16 out of a total of around 60 points, with the predicate "city under development".

The budget and policy aspects are already at their maximum, but institutional governance is still at 4.67 out of a score of 6, and human resource capacity is only 0.92 out of a maximum of 1.5 because only around 900 officers have been trained.

To strengthen human resources, the city government is recruiting 1,597 waste sorting and processing officers, one for each neighborhood unit (RW). Additionally, audits will be conducted in all managed areas, including hotels and tourist destinations.

Farhan reminded that the Ministry of Environment is now serious about law enforcement. He admitted that he had been questioned twice regarding the Caringin Market case, although it has now been resolved.

A total of four regions, namely Tangerang Regency, South Tangerang City, Bandung City, and Bali Province, became samples for environmental crime enforcement.

"I don't want any tourist destination or hotel to have a waste problem. We're auditing each one. This is serious," he stressed.

He urged tourism industry players to support the national "ASRI" program launched by President Prabowo on February 3rd, which stands for Safe, Healthy, Clean, and Beautiful Indonesia. He argued that improving the quality of Bandung's tourist destinations must align with these principles.

"No matter how beautiful Bandung is, no matter how beautiful Jalan Braga or Jalan Asia Afrika are, they will be ruined if there's a pile of trash. Creativity is great, but when it comes to waste, follow my lead," he concluded. (Bandung City Communications and Information Office/rka)