Planning and Implementation

of Integrated Solid Waste

Management Strategies in
Surabaya, Indonesia

Bebing, Jacir P. (Japs)

 The SWMP Tale of Surabaya
● Surabaya is the second largest city in Indonesia. It is the provincial
capital of East Java
○ Surabaya has a population of 3.15m
○ Economic output stands at $38.4bn, growing annually at a rate of
around 6%.
○ 326 square kilometer in size

● Indonesia faces significant national challenges in scaling-up solid waste

(SW) collection and management. At present, 70% of urban residents
have access to waste collection, of which only 55% is handled at a
formal transfer station or processing facility. (World Bank, 2017)

● Meanwhile, Surabaya City exhibits strong waste management practices

and presents a good benchmark for Indonesian localities. Over the
course of several initiatives, SW generation has been actively reduced
from a 2000 tonnes per day peak in 2001 down to 1512 by 2017 (UNEP
and IGES, 2017)
 The SWMP Tale of Surabaya

Image from Better Tours Indonesia (bettertoursindonesia.com/surabaya-city-of-heroes/)

 Initiatives Conducted in Surabaya
● MSWs generation in Surabaya City reached its highest point in 2001,
wherein nearly 2,000 tonnes of MSW are produced a day. MSWs are
disposed at the two landfill sites in the city: Benowo and Keputih. The
latter site was closed in 2001 due to the strong opposition from the
residents in the area.

● In 2004, the technical cooperation project with Kitakyushu

International Techno-cooperative Association (KITA) reduced the
waste generated in the city by composting activities, through the
establishment of household composting activities and a composting
center.

● Kitakyushu City introduced the Takakura Composting Method, a quick,

low-tech, and inexpensive means of household composting. Following the
success of the initial piloting in 2004, over 19,000 composting baskets
were been distributed for free and 14 composting centers had been
established as of 2017. (UNEP and IGES, 2017)
 The Takakura Method
Image from Nepa Go Green, 2015
 Initiatives Conducted in Surabaya
● Through the proper implementation of the program, the involvement
of neighborhoods peaked at 2,774 (of 9,118, 30.4%). Further, in 2005,
an annual competition was inaugurated to award communities with
best SWM practices.

● As of 2018, Surabaya now has 21 composting centres, over 200

temporary disposal sites (waste banks or bank sampah), 1 medium
sorting station (Super Depo Sutorejo, which is constructed n 2013
through JICA and Nishihara Corporation) and 1 sanitary landfill
(Benewo). (UNEP and IGES, 2017)

● Further in 2018, Surabaya launched the program on the recycling of

waste to bus tickets for the city’s bus rapid transit. The bus fare was
capped to
○ three (3) 1.5-liter plastic bottles,
○ five (5) 600-milliliter plastic bottles, or
○ ten (10) 240-milliliter plastic cups.
Surabaya Waste Flow
Results and Achievements of the Initiatives

● The community-run waste banks are particularly effective and pay

for segregated recyclables, providing opportunity for greater
engagement with the informal sector.

● Neighborhood benchmarking also plays a key role, with the best

performing communities winning prizes including cash payments,
tools and trees for neighbourhood greening. These initiatives were
each supported by a widespread communications and outreach
campaign helping to mainstream sustainable waste management in
Surabaya. In 2019 overall waste handling was estimated at 95%
(UNEP and IGES, 2017)
Results and Achievements of the Initiatives

● Several organisations are also utilizing some more innovative waste

management solutions, i.e, the Jambangan Recycling centre now
breeds black soldier fly larvae to compost organic waste, the city
bus network allows fare payments with plastic bottles, resulting in
approximately 16,000 plastic passengers per week.

● Surabaya has been a frequent recipient of awards and recognition –

a winner of the national Adipura award from 2006 – 2013 and,
internationally, the ASEAN Environmentally Sustainable City (ESC)
Award in 2011 and was a member of the ASEAN ESC Model Cities
Program.

● Due to their long standing cooperation, Surabaya and Kitakyushu

cities became green sister cities in 2012. (UNEP and IGES, 2017)
Challenges, Sustainability, and Replicability
● Ongoing areas for improvement include further expansion of the
sustainable management system through awareness raising, capacity
building, financial support and establishing policy framework given the
trend in population and waste generated.

● Access to finance mechanisms are still required for the sustainability of

the program. Intermediate and final disposal issues are more complex.
Regardless of reduction and recycling at source, there will also be a need
for final disposal. In order to scale up the number of intermediate
facilities funds need to be made available.

● Surabaya’s success with community based initiatives was spread

internationally as part of activities under the Kitakyushu Initiative for a
Cleaner Environment. Countries and cities the waste management model
was replicated in include Malaysia (Sibu), Nepal (Lalitpur), the Philippines
(Bacolod, Bago, Cavite, Cebu, Puerto Princesa, Talisay), and Thailand
(Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Sankamphaeng).

(UNEP and IGES, 2017)

Source: NHK World Japan