Environmental health risks associated with open dumping practices in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia: an observational study

Abstract

Introduction: Rural and semi-urban communities in Central Kalimantan face severe environmental health risks due to inadequate municipal solid waste management. With waste generation exceeding 1,200 tons daily, local infrastructure is overwhelmed. This study investigates the complex interplay among environmental degradation, occupational hazards, and community health in this region resulting from open dumping practices.
Method: We used a cross-sectional observational study design with a mixedmethods approach across 14 regencies in Central Kalimantan. Data were collected through field observations of final disposal sites, qualitative focus group discussions with local stakeholders, and a review of the 2024 national waste registry. Thematic analysis was applied to identify sanitation deficits and
health vulnerabilities.
Results: The region’s waste stream is heavily organic (30%–57%). The study revealed that most disposal sites operate as unregulated open dumps lacking daily soil cover and functional leachate treatment plants, posing severe risks of groundwater contamination and vector-borne diseases. Furthermore, informal waste pickers were observed foraging for recyclables and livestock feed (e.g., for swine) without adequate personal protective equipment. This practice exposes them to acute physical and biological hazards, while the use
of untreated refuse for animal feed introduces severe epidemiological risks, including zoonotic and parasitic pathogens (such as Taenia solium), into the human food chain.
Conclusion: This research highlights the critical environmental and public health crises driven by open dumping. Urgent multisectoral interventions are required to upgrade sanitation infrastructure, enforce occupational safety standards for informal workers, and develop culturally sensitive policies to mitigate the epidemiological risks posed by unmanaged waste.