Factory Waste Threatens the Brantas River, Environment Ministry Sets Up Surveillance Lines at These 5 Companies
JAKARTA – The Ministry of Environment (KLH), through the Environmental Management Agency (BPLH), is monitoring five companies in the Brantas River Basin (DAS), East Java, after discovering alleged violations that could potentially pollute the environment.
"The Brantas River Basin is a source of life for millions of people in East Java. Every company is required to operate in accordance with environmental documents and quality standards. Alleged violations will be followed up according to the law," said Rizal Irawan, Deputy for Law Enforcement (Gakkum) at the Ministry of Environment/BPLH, in Jakarta, Antara News Agency, Thursday, August 28.
The monitoring was carried out by Environmental Management Officers (PPLH) from August 20–23, 2025. The team found indications of pollution affecting the water quality of the Brantas River and its tributaries.
At PT Energi Agro Nusantara (Etanol), violations included land expansion without amending environmental documents and the discharge of waste from biofertilizers, production machinery, and water treatment plants directly into the Ngares and Jinontro Rivers.
At PT Molindo Raya Industrial (Etanol), the Environmental Management and Management Agency (PPLH) discovered the construction of ethanol tank foundations without environmental approval. The company also built new units outside the 2016 UKL-UPL documents, including a CO₂ Plant, CPU Plant, and 12 CO₂ tanks, and lacked technical approval to meet wastewater quality standards.
Meanwhile, PT Etanol Ceria Abadi was reported to be no longer operating. Supervision at PT Sinergi Gula Nusantara (PG Ngadiredjo, Kediri) found the absence of technical approval to meet domestic wastewater quality standards in employee restrooms, mosques, and offices, and no ambient air quality sampling had been conducted.
At a separate location, PT Sinergi Gula Nusantara (PG Gempolkrep) was found to have no boiler ash storage facility, which was instead stored in a wet scrubber water reservoir. Furthermore, the technical details for B3 waste storage were not integrated with the environmental approval.
As a follow-up, the Environmental Management and Management Agency (PPLH) team from the Deputy for Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Environment (KLH) installed warning signs and surveillance lines at the four companies.
The Director of Complaints and Supervision at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Ardyanto Nugroho, stated that the initial steps, including closing the waste channel, installing warning signs, and establishing a monitoring line, were taken to ensure the company made concrete improvements.
"We will impose sanctions if violations continue and there is no evaluation from the company," Ardyanto said.
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry/Environmental Management Agency (BPLH) reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the environmental quality of the Brantas River Basin and ensuring that each company is accountable for the impacts of its operations.