November 4, 2025 | 05:47 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The illegal importation of electronic waste (e-waste) from the United States into Batam is escalating. The latest data, as of Monday, November 1, 2025, from Batam Customs, indicates that a total of 316 containers suspected of containing e-waste from the U.S. have entered the port.
The revelation of this illegal import first occurred last September when 73 containers of e-waste were initially found in Batam. The number of containers has since surged, first surpassing 200, and now reaching over 300.
Evi Oktavia, the Head of the Guidance, Compliance, and Information Service Division at Batam Customs, detailed that the 316 containers belong to three different companies. 129 containers belong to PT Esun Internasional Utama Indonesia, comprised of 39 containers that have undergone physical inspection and 90 containers awaiting inspection.
Furthermore, 164 containers are attributed to PT Logam Internasional Jaya, with 25 inspected and 139 uninspected containers. The remaining containers belong to PT Batam Battery Recycle Industries, totaling 23 containers, with 10 inspected and 13 uninspected.
Evi asserted that 74 out of the 316 containers have been proven to contain electronic waste, including hazardous material. "After inspection, we sealed the containers, and they are currently being held at the Batu Ampar Port," she said. Evi added that the decision for re-export will ultimately be made by the goods owners or the importers.
Electronic waste processing in Batam as visited by the Ministry of Environment. Doc. The Ministry of Environment
The import of electronic waste from the United States was initially revealed following information provided by the Basel Action Network (BAN), a global non-profit organization focused on preventing the export of toxic waste.
The subsequent arrival of Environment Minister Hanif Faisol and his entourage to Batam on September 22 was suspected to be a follow-up to this report. News emerged that Minister Hanif would inspect and seal one of the e-waste storage companies. However, the inspection was postponed, officially because the government required further investigation. Unconfirmed rumors suggested a group of people was ready to intercept and thwart the sealing operation.
Since that day, the case has been officially handled by Batam Customs, leading to the interception of the rising number of containers at the port, which has now reached over 300.
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