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Overcapacity at Rawa Kucing landfill blamed for bad smell, health issues
Even though the dump site has undergone several improvements, a poorly managed mountain of garbage has continued to create problems, especially for people living nearby.
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Workers dump piles of garbage from a truck into a landfill in this file photo. (Antara Foto/Risky Andrianto)
A
rief, 34, is a mechanic who has lived in Neglasari district, Tangerang City, for 20 years. Living about 300 meters away from the Rawa Kucing landfill, Arief is familiar with the stench that emanates from dump site.
The unpleasant smell has worsened to such an extent over the past few months that Arief and other residents have started complaining. The smell is causing nausea and vomiting among residents. It has also brought flies into residents’ houses.
The reason is overcapacity at the Rawa Kucing landfill. Even though the dump site has undergone several improvements, a poorly managed mountain of garbage has continued to create problems.
For months, Arief said, the stench had been almost unbearable, especially after the mountain of garbage began to overtake an empty space behind his house and hordes of flies began to infest his home.
The unpleasant smell gets worse when the wind blows in Arief’s direction or when heavy rains soak the garbage heap, which causes him to vomit. It also affects his family members.
“My parents suffered asthma in 2018 […], so they decided to move out of the house. I live here with my wife and child while hoping someone will buy this house,” he told The Jakarta Post.
Residents who live a bit further away from the landfill have experienced similar issues, including Budi, a 27-year-old airport employee who lives at the Indonesian Civil Servants Corps (Korpri) Residence about 1.6 km away from the site.
