North Jakarta Environment Agency head Ceffi Hidayat said 150 tons of trash had been transported over the past three days, adding that the clean-up would run for a month from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

"The problem lies in access. We rely on 20 [three-wheeled] garbage motorcycles that go back and forth, transporting the trash to a landfill," Ceffi said as reported by kompas.com. 

The joint team consisted of 310 personnel from the Indonesian Military, Public Facility Maintenance Agency (PPSU) and the environment agency, Ceffi said.

The personnel were deployed following a report that claims trash has been accumulating in the space for the past two decades, since the toll road was constructed in 1993.

The location is inaccessible to garbage trucks and the large amount of trash has resulted in worsened road conditions, hence the reliance on three-wheeled motor vehicles.

Once the site is free of trash, Ceffi said, he expected the area to be developed into a useful space, such as a playground. 

"We need to hold a meeting involving many stakeholders including PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada to manage the space," he said, referring to the toll road operator that owns the land.

Jakarta's waste problem remains one of the most pressing issues as the city produces over 7 tons of trash daily, meaning not all of the trash can be properly treated, given a limited space for landfills as well as a lack of technology to process it. 

Separately, personnel from the North Jakarta District Command lamented that there was no assistance from local residents. (fac)

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