The Bantar Gebang landfill in Bekasi, West Java is the final destination for the majority of waste produced by the citizens of Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital. Opened in 1989 this landfill site has grown to over 108 hectares, operates 24 hours and receives approximately 8000 tonnes of material a day. The existence of the landfill has transformed the surrounding area for the worse. Ciketing Udik, Ciki
wul, Sumur Batu and Serang are kampungs/villages close by that are home to an estimated 3000 waste picker families who eek out a living from the informal recycling industry that has developed around the landfill site. The waste pickers are attracted from near and far to the relatively reliable source of income, however this opportunity has many severe costs. The work as it takes place today is inherently unsafe and unhealthy making the waste picking career precarious. Accomodation for the waste pickers, often provided by recycling “bosses" is very low quality and in areas prone to flooding. The lack of proper showers or toilets means the families must deal with unsanitary conditions. Poor health is common for the waste pickers and their families. Children and teenagers are pulled into recycling work to help the family earn an income. This is a difficult lifestyle, for the gold, if it exist at all at the dumpsite, is not easily mined and the hoped for wealth usually remains a distant dream. As a consequence and as part of this culture many of the children drop out of school sooner or later to work as scavengers. Teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, illiteracy and social exclusion are common features of a lifestyle where options are very limited for those born into this situation. Unfortunately it appears that these communities have been failed by both the government and the industry that employs them. Action is needed so that they can better support themselves and change the worse aspects of their current conditions. As a catalyst to this change we are proposing the development of a community hub and hostel to be built within Sumur Batu, one of the villages within the site of the Bantar Gebang landfill. The vision for the project is for the facilities to be operated for the benefit of the community, with profits directed towards improvements in living and working arrangements for the waste pickers and their families. The site will be located on the property of project manager Resa, a resident of Bantar Gebang, recycler, educator, and respected community leader. The site is currently home to the "One For All” NFP school that helps the landfill kids learn basics in literacy, maths, health, and personal development. The school has been operating since 2004 and is already an important place for the community. Also on the site is the “Because I’m A Girl (BIAG)” recycling project. The BIAG recycling operation includes a machine to wash plastic but is lacking another piece of equipment to dry it. With the expansion of this site it is hoped the area can become more relevant for other age groups and multiply the benefits this project can provide. The community hub is to include facilities for a computer lab, and a workshop/store room for the garbage bank (which is already being established by The Hidden Potential). The garbage bank is new and not yet fully operational but it is planned that it will be used to collect plastic bags (the most common problem waste at the landfill) that can be cleaned and turned into up-cycled products - hammocks, bags, belts, and other designs. These, and other items, can be sold to visitors, in exhibitions, and online with a “Made in Bantar Gebang" label. In addition to these facilities we are proposing to set up a small “hostel" suitable for short term guests and longer term volunteers. This hostel will be used to generate income and attract volunteers and Eco-tourists to help with ongoing projects. A kitchen, toilet, shower and washing block that will have to include provisions to collect/filter water and handle human wastes is also necessary for this project. We are suggesting that this site be operated like a living laboratory to experiment with low demand habitats and social innovation.
