Not long ago, a massive waste landslide occurred at the Bantargebang Integrated Waste Treatment Site (TPST). To many, it was seen as a “local incident”, a problem for a specific district or a struggle for the residents living nearby.

But when you stand on that ground and speak with the people there, you realize it is impossible to see this as an isolated issue. Those mountains of waste didn’t appear out of thin air. They came from our cities, our homes, and our daily habits. They are the final destination for everything we “throw away” without a second thought.

Out of Sight, But Never Truly Gone

We often treat places like Bantargebang as the “city’s trash can.” In reality, they are a mirror of our lifestyle. The more we consume, the higher the mountains grow, and the heavier the burden becomes for the communities living in their shadow.

We say we are “throwing it away,” but in nature, there is no such thing as “away.” Every item we discard doesn’t disappear; it simply moves. Often, it moves somewhere far from our sight, but it remains a reality for someone else.

From Jakarta to Bali: A Shared Challenge

This isn’t just a Jakarta problem. Here in Bali, we are facing the exact same challenge. As a world-class tourism destination, our waste continues to grow, while our space and management systems reach their limits. Whether it is a landfill in Java or a ravine in a Balinese village, the crisis is the same.

The problem isn’t just about where the landfill is located. The real issue is where the waste comes from—and the answer is all of us.

Reframing the Solution at COCO Social Fund

At the COCO Social Fund, our work in villages like Desa Cepaka is driven by this very realization. We cannot solve the waste problem by simply finding better places to hide it. We solve it by:

• Sorting at the Source: Ensuring that organic and inorganic materials never reach a “mountain” to begin with.
• Reducing Consumption: Being mindful of what we bring into our homes.
• Community Ownership: Understanding that my waste is my responsibility, not just the government’s or the neighbor’s.

The Choice is Ours

Bantargebang is a wake-up call for all of us, from the city streets to the beaches of Bali. Let’s stop pretending that our trash vanishes once it leaves our gates. It’s time to look in the mirror and change the way we consume, for the sake of our environment and the people who share it with us.