A large municipal solid waste landfill in Tangerang, Banten Province, Indonesia, has been engulfed in a massive fire due to persistent extreme drought and high temperatures. The massive piles of plastic, rubber, and various types of household waste inside the site are burning fiercely, releasing highly toxic dioxins and heavy metal dust, while toxic smoke has blanketed a wide area of surrounding residential neighborhoods. Wastewater generated during firefighting operations has mixed with landfill leachate and overflowed, carrying decomposing food waste and plastic microplastics into nearby farmland and waterways, resulting in a combination of air, water, and soil pollution.
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