B3 Waste Ocean Dumping in Indonesia: Submarine Tailings Disposal and Drill Cuttings Management Under PP 22/2021

Executive Summary

Government Regulation No. 22 of 2021 (PP 22/2021) establishes the regulatory framework for B3 (hazardous and toxic) waste ocean dumping through BAB VII Paragraf 10 (Articles 390-400). Ocean dumping represents a controlled disposal pathway for specific industrial waste streams where marine environments can safely receive treated materials under defined conditions.

The regulation permits three categories of B3 waste for sea disposal. Mining tailings from mineral processing operations represent the largest volume category. Drill cuttings from synthetic-based drilling mud operations generate B3 waste during offshore petroleum exploration and production. Drill cuttings and mud from water-based drilling operations also qualify under specific conditions.

Location requirements incorporate oceanographic considerations ensuring dispersal and isolation of dumped materials. Permanent thermocline layers provide density stratification preventing material from rising to productive surface waters. Where thermoclines are absent, depth requirements and submarine canyon topography direct materials to deep-water isolation zones.

Pre-treatment is mandatory. All waste categories require neutralization or toxicity reduction before discharge. Laboratory testing verifies treatment effectiveness through LC50 toxicology assessments and contaminant analysis appropriate to each waste source sector.

Background & Context

Ocean dumping occupies a controversial position in environmental management. International frameworks under the London Convention and Protocol establish global restrictions on marine disposal while permitting controlled dumping under defined conditions. Indonesia's regulatory approach balances industrial operational requirements against marine protection objectives.

Mining operations generate massive tailings volumes that cannot practically be contained on land in all geological and economic contexts. Submarine tailings disposal (STD) directs processed material to deep marine environments where physical isolation and natural processes minimize ecological impacts. However, improper implementation creates lasting environmental damage requiring careful regulatory control.

Offshore petroleum operations generate drilling waste requiring disposal solutions compatible with marine operational contexts. Transporting drill cuttings to shore for land disposal creates logistical challenges and secondary environmental risks. Controlled ocean disposal under appropriate conditions offers practical waste management while protecting sensitive marine areas.

The three-tier location requirement system reflects oceanographic understanding of waste dispersal dynamics. Permanent thermocline layers create density barriers that prevent denser materials from mixing into productive surface waters. Submarine canyons channel settling material to deep basins where biological productivity is limited. Upwelling restrictions protect areas where deep waters naturally rise to the surface carrying any deposited materials into productive zones.

Key Provisions

Dumping Prohibition Without Approval

Ocean dumping is prohibited without central government authorization.

Pasal 390:

"Setiap Orang dilarang melakukan Dumping (Pembuangan) Limbah B3 ke media Lingkungan Hidup tanpa Persetujuan dari Pemerintah Pusat."

Every person is prohibited from dumping B3 waste to environmental media without approval from the Central Government. This fundamental prohibition establishes that ocean dumping is not a default disposal option but a controlled activity requiring specific authorization.

Technical Approval Requirements

Dumping requires Technical Approval from the government.

Pasal 391:

"(1) Setiap Orang untuk dapat melakukan Dumping (Pembuangan) Limbah B3 ke media Lingkungan Hidup wajib memiliki Persetujuan dari Pemerintah. (2) Persetujuan sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) berupa Persetujuan Teknis untuk kegiatan Dumping (Pembuangan), dan menjadi dasar dalam penerbitan Persetujuan Lingkungan. (3) Setiap Orang sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) merupakan pihak yang pertama kali menghasilkan Limbah B3. (4) Persetujuan Teknis sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (2) diberikan untuk kegiatan Dumping (Pembuangan) Limbah B3 ke media Lingkungan Hidup berupa: a. tanah; dan b. laut."

Technical Approval for dumping activities forms the basis for Environmental Approval. Importantly, only the original waste generator may apply - this prevents waste trading arrangements that might circumvent regulatory controls. Technical Approval addresses both land disposal (following landfill provisions) and sea disposal under specific marine protection conditions.

Allowed Waste Types for Sea Dumping

Three specific waste categories qualify for ocean disposal.

Pasal 392:

"(1) Limbah B3 yang dapat dilakukan Dumping (Pembuangan) Limbah B3 ke media Lingkungan Hidup berupa laut sebagaimana dimaksud dalam Pasal 391 ayat (4) huruf b berupa: a. tailing dari kegiatan pengolahan hasil pertambangan; b. serbuk bor dari hasil pemboran Usaha dan/atau Kegiatan eksplorasi dan/atau eksploitasi di laut menggunakan lumpur bor berbahan dasar sintetis (synthetic-based mud); dan c. serbuk bor dan lumpur bor dari hasil pemboran Usaha dan/atau Kegiatan eksplorasi dan/atau eksploitasi di laut menggunakan lumpur bor berbahan dasar air (water-based mud). (2) Terhadap Limbah B3 sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) wajib dilakukan netralisasi atau penurunan kadar racun sebelum dilakukan Dumping (Pembuangan) Limbah B3 ke laut."

Mining tailings represent the primary volume category for submarine disposal. Drill cuttings from synthetic-based mud operations generate waste during offshore drilling that may contain residual synthetic compounds. Water-based mud operations produce cuttings and spent mud requiring disposal. All categories require neutralization or toxicity reduction before disposal.

Location Requirements with Thermocline

Primary location requirements center on oceanographic stratification.

Pasal 395 Ayat 1:

"(1) Lokasi tempat dilakukan Dumping (Pembuangan) Limbah B3 sebagaimana dimaksud dalam Pasal 394 huruf b angka 3 harus memenuhi persyaratan yang meliputi: a. terletak di dasar laut pada laut yang memiliki lapisan termoklin permanen; dan b. tidak berada di lokasi tertentu atau di daerah sensitif sesuai dengan ketentuan peraturan perundang-undangan."

Dumping locations must have permanent thermocline layers that prevent mixing between deep and surface waters. Sensitive areas are excluded regardless of thermocline presence. The thermocline requirement ensures dumped materials remain isolated from productive surface ecosystems.

Alternative Location Requirements

Where permanent thermoclines are absent, alternative depth-based requirements apply.

Pasal 395 Ayat 2-3:

"(2) Dalam hal tidak terdapat laut yang memiliki lapisan termoklin permanen sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) huruf a, lokasi tempat dilakukan Dumping (Pembuangan) Limbah B3 berupa tailing dari kegiatan pengolahan hasil pertambangan harus memenuhi persyaratan lokasi yang meliputi: a. terletak di dasar laut dengan kedalaman lebih dari atau sama dengan 100 m (seratus meter); b. secara topografi dan batimetri menunjukkan adanya ngarai dan/atau saluran di dasar laut yang mengarahkan tailing ke kedalaman lebih dari atau sama dengan 200 m (dua ratus meter); dan c. tidak ada fenomena up-welling. (3) Dalam hal tidak terdapat laut yang memiliki lapisan termoklin permanen, lokasi untuk serbuk bor dan lumpur bor harus memenuhi persyaratan: a. terletak di laut dengan kedalaman lebih dari atau sama dengan 50 m (lima puluh meter); dan b. dampaknya berada di dalam radius lebih kecil dari atau sama dengan 500 m (lima ratus meter) dari lokasi pemboran di laut."

Mining tailings without thermocline protection require minimum 100-meter initial depth plus submarine canyon topography directing material to 200-meter depths, with no upwelling. Drill cuttings face less stringent requirements: 50-meter minimum depth with impacts contained within 500-meter radius. These differentiated requirements reflect different waste volumes and characteristics.

Approval Timeline

Technical approval follows standard administrative timelines.

Pasal 397:

"(1) Menteri setelah menerima permohonan sebagaimana dimaksud dalam Pasal 393 memberikan pernyataan tertulis mengenai kelengkapan administrasi permohonan paling lama 2 (dua) hari kerja sejak permohonan diterima. (2) Setelah permohonan dinyatakan lengkap, Menteri melakukan verifikasi paling lama 7 (tujuh) hari kerja. (3) Dalam hal hasil verifikasi sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (2) menunjukkan: a. permohonan memenuhi persyaratan, Menteri menerbitkan Persetujuan Teknis untuk kegiatan Dumping (Pembuangan) Limbah B3 paling lama 7 (tujuh) hari kerja sejak hasil verifikasi diketahui."

Administrative completeness determination occurs within 2 working days. Technical verification follows within 7 working days. Approval or rejection takes up to 7 working days after verification. Complete applications meeting requirements can expect technical approval within approximately 16 working days.

Ongoing Obligations

Technical Approval holders face continuing obligations.

Pasal 399 Ayat 3:

"(3) Kewajiban pemegang Persetujuan Teknis untuk kegiatan Dumping (Pembuangan) Limbah B3 sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) huruf d paling sedikit meliputi: a. melakukan identifikasi Limbah B3 yang akan dilakukan Dumping (Pembuangan) Limbah B3; b. melakukan pencatatan nama dan jumlah Limbah B3 yang akan dilakukan Dumping (Pembuangan) Limbah B3; c. melakukan pemantauan kualitas air laut pada titik penaatan; d. menyusun dan menyampaikan laporan pelaksanaan Dumping (Pembuangan) Limbah B3; e. memiliki dan melaksanakan Sistem Tanggap Darurat berupa dokumen program kedaruratan Pengelolaan Limbah B3; dan f. memiliki tenaga kerja yang memiliki sertifikat kompetensi di bidang Pengelolaan Limbah B3."

Approval holders must identify and record all dumped waste, monitor seawater quality at compliance points, report dumping activities, maintain emergency response capability, and employ certified B3 waste management personnel. These ongoing requirements enable verification that dumping operations remain within approved parameters.

Implementation & Compliance

For Mining Operations

Submarine tailings disposal requires careful site selection meeting oceanographic requirements. Bathymetric surveys must identify appropriate submarine canyon topography. Baseline marine environmental studies document pre-disposal conditions. Modeling studies predict tailings dispersal patterns under various oceanographic scenarios.

Pre-treatment systems must achieve toxicity reduction verified through LC50 testing. Heavy metal concentrations and teratogenicity assessments ensure treated tailings meet discharge standards. Continuous monitoring during operations tracks actual versus predicted dispersal.

For Offshore Petroleum Operations

Drill cuttings management begins with drilling fluid selection. Synthetic-based muds offer operational advantages but generate B3 waste requiring controlled disposal. Water-based muds may produce non-B3 cuttings depending on composition.

Location selection for cuttings discharge must meet depth and impact radius requirements. Operations without permanent thermocline require the 50-meter depth minimum with dispersal modeling confirming impacts remain within 500-meter radius.

Laboratory testing protocols differ from mining operations. TPH and PAH analyses address petroleum-specific contaminants. LC50 testing verifies treated cuttings do not cause acute marine toxicity.

For Regulatory Compliance

Technical approval applications require comprehensive documentation including waste characterization, modeling studies, location analysis, and emergency response plans. Incomplete applications face return for correction, potentially extending approval timelines.

Ongoing reporting obligations require systematic data collection throughout operations. Seawater quality monitoring at designated compliance points provides early warning of unexpected environmental changes requiring operational adjustments.

Conclusion

PP 22/2021's ocean dumping framework enables controlled marine disposal of specific B3 waste categories under stringent environmental protection conditions. The limited waste type scope, mandatory pre-treatment, and rigorous location requirements ensure dumping occurs only where marine environments can safely receive materials without lasting ecological damage.

The oceanographic-based location requirements incorporating thermocline presence, depth thresholds, and canyon topography reflect scientific understanding of marine waste dispersal and isolation. Differentiated requirements for mining tailings versus drill cuttings acknowledge different waste volumes, characteristics, and operational contexts.

This framework positions ocean dumping as a last-resort option available under defined conditions rather than a routine disposal pathway. Comprehensive documentation, monitoring, and reporting requirements maintain accountability throughout the dumping period and enable adaptive management responding to monitoring results.

Official Source

This article analyzes Government Regulation No. 22 of 2021 on Environmental Protection and Management Implementation (PP 22/2021), specifically BAB VII Paragraf 10 (Pasal 390-400) on B3 Waste Ocean Dumping.

The official regulation text can be accessed at:

Primary Source:
PP No. 22 Tahun 2021 - BPK Regulation Portal

Alternative Sources:
- JDIH Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan

Official Gazette: Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2021 Nomor 32

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