Jakarta, Jan. 11 -- Indonesia's government is banking on waste-to-energy facilities to curb mounting pressure on overcrowded landfills, as daily waste volumes in dozens of cities exceed manageable levels and pose growing environmental and health risks.

Deputy Minister of Public Works Diana Kusumastuti said waste-to-energy plants, known locally as PSEL, are designed to reduce the accumulation of garbage at landfill sites by converting waste into electricity.

She said such facilities are a critical response to Indonesia's escalating waste problem.

Many landfills are now operating beyond capacity, Kusumastuti said, largely because waste reduction, sorting and processing at the household and community levels remain inadequate.

As a result...