Exploring Environmental Justice and Government Transparency: The Cilowong Landfill Case in Serang City

Abstract

The Cilowong landfill, which receives around 400 tonnes of waste every day, has caused various environmental problems, including groundwater pollution and methane gas emissions. This study examines environmental issues and government transparency in the management of Cilowong landfill in Serang City, with a focus on environmental justice and its impact on the surrounding community. Through a quantitative approach, this study explores community perceptions of environmental justice and evaluates government transparency in landfill management. The research is grounded in environmental justice theory which emphasises the fair distribution of environmental burdens and benefits among all levels of society. Environmental justice includes not only equitable distribution, but also equal participation in the decision-making process. On the other hand, government transparency is defined as openness in decision-making and accessibility of public information, which are key elements in good governance. The main objectives were to identify and analyse environmental issues in Cilowong landfill, measure the implementation of environmental justice, and evaluate government transparency in landfill management. Using in- depth interviews, field observations, and document analyses, the study collected data from communities living within a 2km radius of the landfill, management officials, and relevant government officials. The results show that the Cilowong landfill suffers from serious environmental pollution, with levels of heavy metals such as lead and mercury exceeding safe thresholds. The impact on public health is significant, with around 60% of the population experiencing health problems such as skin and respiratory diseases. Analysis of the policies and practices of Cilowong landfill management shows that the implementation of environmental justice is still inadequate, with minimal community participation in the decision-making process. Practically, the research results are expected to encourage local governments to increase transparency and involve communities more actively in landfill management. The main recommendation proposed is the need to improve access to public information and community participation to achieve better environmental justice in Cilowong landfill.