Open burning of waste a critical issue in Indonesia, according to global report

A World of Waste: risks and opportunities in household waste management is based on data on waste disposal from the latest edition of the World Risk Poll, produced by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, in consultation with waste management experts from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Engineering X. The data was collected by global pollster Gallup, who conducted 147,000 interviews in 142 countries and territories around the world.

The report found that open burning is the third most common method of waste disposal across the world, with 14% of households globally disposing of their waste this way, including 48% in Indonesia even though the law prohibits it. This compares with 9% across upper-middle income countries. The high rates of open burning in many countries, including Indonesia, highlight the importance of providing viable waste disposal alternatives to drive change.  

The global challenge of waste is also closely linked to broader public health concerns around air and water quality and is therefore closely tied to safety in people’s daily lives. The open burning of waste releases black carbon into the atmosphere, a key contributor to global warming, as well as ‘forever chemicals’ that can be carried long distances and harm people’s health. It is estimated that up to one million people die each year in lower-income countries from diseases related to mismanaged waste, of which open burning is a core part.1

Nancy Hey, Director of Evidence and Insight at Lloyd’s Register Foundation, said: “Household waste is a fact of life, wherever people live. But the way we dispose of this waste matters, impacting air quality and health, the safety of the people who work with our waste, and the environment.

“The results from the World Risk Poll have highlighted significant inequalities around the world. While residents of many countries benefit from safe and sustainable waste management infrastructure, in countries such as Indonesia, the lack of viable alternatives means the uncontrolled disposal of household waste, including hazardous open burning, is high. To address this problem, the development of better collection infrastructure that leads to controlled disposal should be an urgent priority.”

Engineering X, an international collaboration founded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation and the Royal Academy of Engineering, published a report in 2022 on the open burning of waste. Within this, several recommendations were made including the proposal of time-bounded goals and targets for the phasing out of open burning. The strengthening of ongoing efforts to monitor and assess atmospheric pollution was also identified as a key step in reducing this method of uncontrolled waste disposal.

Professor Desta Mebratu of Stellenbosch University, who leads Engineering X’s 'Africa Roadmap for Transformative Action on Waste', said: “Open burning is not a choice for many communities, it is a necessary step they must take due to a lack of infrastructure provided by their government.  We know too well the negative impacts open burning has on both people and planet and this report has reinforced that. 

“By addressing the systemic deficiencies and promoting waste to resource conversion, we can dramatically improve health outcomes for populations most affected by air pollution while supporting the creation of decent jobs and livelihoods. These facts have been further substantiated by the 2024 World Risk Poll waste report, which shows that waste management is a complex issue, requiring a systems approach and collaboration across sectors.

“In our work to tackle the open burning of waste, we involve local mayoral networks and communities as we know this is the most effective way to truly enact lasting and sustainable change when it comes to waste disposal. Cooperation must happen at both regional and internal levels between key figures in local and national governments.

“The findings from this report should be used to inform governments and stakeholders when designing waste disposal infrastructure that keep communities safe. Controlled methods of disposal should be available for everyone around the world, regardless of where you live.”

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  Williams, M., Gower, R., Green, J., Whitebread, E., Lenkiewicz, Z., & Schröder, P. (2019). No time to waste: Tackling the plastic pollution crisis before it’s too late. Tearfund. https://learn.tearfund.org/en/ resources/policy-reports/no-time-to-waste