A University of Colorado Boulder study found PM2.5 concentrations in Indonesia rose 3.3 percent around open landfills in 2018-2019.
The study published in the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C Applied Statistics used satellite data from 356 sites. Lead researcher Ellen Considine linked the rise to increased plastic waste diverted to Indonesia and open burning practices. When high-income countries send plastic waste to middle- and low-income countries more waste gets burned, Considine said. The analysis separated weather influences to measure the import impact accurately. The PM2.5 increase could raise lung cancer death risk by about 1.9 percent and lower respiratory infection death risk by about 3.5 percent. The findings support Indonesia's steps to tighten plastic waste imports.
