The closure of the Piyungan Final Disposal Site since January 2026 has exposed gaps in waste governance across Yogyakarta, Sleman, and Bantul, prompting Catholic Church networks to press for community-based responses as an interim measure.
The waste crisis was discussed during a Focus Group Discussion organized by the Ecological Movement of the East and West Yogyakarta Vicariates at Wisma Mahasiswa Yogyakarta, according to the Archdiocese of Semarang.
The forum brought together Catholic pastoral workers, environmental advocates, and other stakeholders to examine how parish and community networks could respond as waste continues to accumulate without a regional disposal alternative.
For decades, Piyungan served as the main final disposal site for the three local governments. Its total closure has left large volumes of waste without a clear destination, intensifying environmental pressure in urban areas.
The discussion followed a similar meeting held in November 2025, according to FGD moderator Fr. Martinus Joko Lelono, Pr., who said the conversations reflect growing concern over how Catholics can engage more concretely in public life.
“This afternoon’s meeting is a continuation of the one held last November, which eventually became a stream of reflection on how we, as Catholics, want to be involved in shared life within Yogyakarta society,” Fr. Joko said.
He said the idea of an ecological movement emerged from shared concern over what participants described as a waste emergency.
Referring to the concept “Transforming Waste into a Source of Life,” he said the effort reflects the Church’s social role through direct engagement in local communities. “The basic idea is the desire to get involved,” he said.
Albertus Ariyanto Nugroho, a member of the Sleman Regency Strategic Environmental Assessment Team, presented data showing the scale of the challenge.
He said that in 2024, about 56.14 percent of waste in the Special Region of Yogyakarta could still be managed through landfills, while 43.86 percent remained unmanaged.
With the closure of the Piyungan landfill, Albertus warned that the volume of unmanaged waste in 2025 and 2026 could increase.
“In Sleman and Yogyakarta City alone, waste generation reaches hundreds of thousands of tons per year, with organic waste accounting for more than 60 percent,” he said.
Albertus said waste problems are closely linked to environmental carrying capacity and weak coordination among local governments.
“Waste management is still oriented toward disposal, not processing,” he said, pointing to limited waste reduction at the household level.
Environmental advocate Yustinus, who works at the Ministry of Environment, said decades of technical approaches have failed to resolve the problem.
He urged Church communities to translate the encyclical Laudato Si’ into concrete action at the parish level. “What is more important is building human awareness and moral responsibility toward the environment,” he said.
That view was echoed by Sr. Marissa, CB, who stressed that waste is a moral issue requiring long-term education. She said education from kindergarten through senior high school is key to shifting perceptions of waste from refuse to resource.
Fr. Joko said proposals for green parishes would be developed gradually through pilot projects in parishes and educational institutions.
Fr. R. Sapto Nugroho, Pr., warned that ecological initiatives risk stalling without systematic planning. “What is needed is a shift from enthusiasm to commitment, from spirit to action,” he said.
The forum concluded with remarks from Fr. AR. Yudono Suwondo, Pr., vicar forane of West Yogyakarta, who said the Catholic Church does not see itself as the primary resolver of the waste crisis.
“We are not the ones who solve the waste problem. That is the state’s responsibility,” he said. “The Church’s task is to inspire, to provide insight, and to amplify awareness.”
