Regulation of the Minister of Environment/Head of the Environmental Control Agency Number 2 of 2026 Mandates Compliance with Wastewater Treatment Standards for the Livestock and Aquaculture Feed Industry

Introduction

On February 26, 2026, the Minister of Environment (“MoE”)/Head of the Environmental Control Agency issued Regulation of the Minister of Environment/Head of the Environmental Control Agency Number 2 of 2026 on Wastewater Quality Standards and Wastewater Treatment Technology Standards for Livestock Feed and Aquaculture Feed Businesses and/or Activities ("MoE Regulation 2/2026"). MoE Regulation 2/2026 establishes wastewater quality standards and wastewater treatment technology standards for livestock feed and aquaculture feed businesses and/or activities prior to the discharge of wastewater into the environment or its reuse.

The recitals state that wastewater from these activities must be managed according to quality and technology standards to prevent environmental pollution. It also implements Government Regulation Number 22 of 2021 on the Implementation of Environmental Protection and Management.

Comparison

MoE Regulation 2/2026 repeals the provisions set forth in Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Number 5 of 2021 on Procedures for the Issuance of Technical Approvals and Operational Feasibility Letters in the Field of Environmental Pollution Control ("MoEF Regulation 5/2021") insofar as they govern the prohibition on wastewater discharge and the applicable wastewater quality standards for livestock feed and aquaculture feed businesses and/or activities. The following table compares the relevant provisions of MoE Regulation 2/2026 and MoEF Regulation 5/2021:

Key Provisions

Treatment Obligations and Classification of Wastewater Sources

Article 2 and Article 3 require every person in charge of a business and/or activity in the livestock feed and aquaculture feed sector that generates wastewater to treat the wastewater until it meets the quality standards before being discharged into the environment or reused. Article 4 stipulates that treatment parameters are determined based on the source of the generated wastewater, which includes boiler blowdown water, laboratory equipment wash water, and water from biosecurity processes at livestock feed mills, as well as production equipment wash water at aquaculture feed mills.

Application of Quality Standards Based on Discharge Objectives

Article 5, Article 6, and Article 7 provide that the application of the Wastewater Quality Standards is tailored to the objective of wastewater discharge or reuse, with reference to Annex I for discharge into water bodies and irrigation channels, Annex II for reuse through watering or washing, and Annex III for reuse to prevent seawater intrusion and seepage into formations. Based on Annex I through Annex III, the person in charge of a business and/or activity must fulfill parameters, including Biochemical Oxygen Demand ("BOD") and Chemical Oxygen Demand ("COD"), subject to the following provisions:

1. limits wastewater volume to a maximum of 0.1 m³ per ton of product;

2. maintains pH within the range of 6 to 9;

3. meets the maximum limits of 50 mg/L for BOD and 100 mg/L for COD for discharge into water bodies;

4. meets the maximum limits of 12 mg/L for BOD and 80 mg/L for COD for discharge into drainage or irrigation channels;

5. maintains wastewater temperature at a maximum of 38°C for all types of discharge and reuse;

6. limits Total Nitrogen (TN) to a maximum of 20 mg/L for discharge as governed in Annex I; and

7. limits Oil and Grease to a maximum of 10 mg/L if the wastewater is discharged into water bodies.

Calculation Formula for Integrated IPAL Systems

Article 8 governs that the Wastewater Quality Standards for integrated Wastewater Treatment Plant (Instalasi Pengolahan Air Limbah, “IPAL”) systems discharged into water bodies are determined based on the calculations set forth in Annex IV. This provision applies to the person in charge of a business and/or activity that combines operational wastewater with domestic wastewater from employee dormitories or sanitary facilities. Annex IV requires the calculation of the wastewater discharge rate and the combined wastewater concentration using the mass balance method (Cmax). In addition to applying the mass balance calculation method, if industrial wastewater is combined with domestic wastewater, the person in charge of the business and/or activity is required to comply with the additional parameters in accordance with Annex I, Annex II, and Annex III. These parameters include a maximum Fecal Coliform of 200 MPN/100 mL and a maximum Residual Chlorine of 1 mg/L if the domestic wastewater treatment uses a chlorination process.

Exemption from Independent Compliance with Wastewater Quality Standards

The person in charge of a business and/or activity is not required to independently meet the Wastewater Quality Standards if the wastewater is managed through specific mechanisms. This provision is governed in Article 9 and applies if the person in charge of the business and/or activity:

1. channels the wastewater to a collection channel connected to a centralized wastewater treatment plant managed by the government or an industrial estate management business entity;

2. hands over the wastewater to a wastewater transportation and/or treatment service provider authorized in accordance with statutory provisions; or

3. reuses the wastewater for primary activities, supporting activities, and/or processes it into by-products.

Obligation to Implement Treatment Technology Standards Based on Discharge Rate

The Wastewater Treatment Technology Standards are applied based on discharge rate classifications, namely (i) less than or equal to 3 m³ per day (≤ 3 m³/day) for all types of discharge, and (ii) more than 3 m³ per day up to 50 m³ per day specifically for discharge into water bodies. The technical guidelines for these technology standards refer to Annex V. This provision is governed in Article 10 and requires the person in charge of a business and/or activity to design the IPAL according to the stipulated design criteria. Annex V governs, among others:

1. the installation of oil and grease separator units (grease traps) if the activity processes feed containing fat;

2. the calculation of retention time in equalization tanks by considering peak loads based on work shift patterns, assuming 1 shift lasts for 8 hours;

3. no use of additional biological sludge separator units if the plant has implemented technologies such as Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) or Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR);

4. the management of biological sludge residues (biosludge) through a dewatering unit before being handed over to a third party;

5. the installation of a filtration unit if there is a potential Total Suspended Solid (TSS) content of more than 30 mg/L or turbid wastewater conditions, as well as in odorous conditions for discharge into water bodies; and

6. the installation of a disinfection unit if industrial wastewater is combined with workers' domestic wastewater, both for discharge into drainage and for reuse through watering.

Obligation to Prepare Technical Studies for Large Discharge Rate Capacities

The person in charge of a business and/or activity that discharges or reuses wastewater with a specific discharge rate may use or add treatment technologies outside the stipulated standards. As governed in Article 11, this provision applies to discharge into water bodies exceeding 50 m³ per day, discharge into drainage or irrigation channels exceeding 3 m³ per day, and reuse through watering exceeding 3 m³ per day. In such cases, the person in charge of the business and/or activity must prepare and submit technical study documents as the basis for the issuance of technical approvals for compliance with the Wastewater Quality Standards.

Obligation to Prepare Technical Standards for Small Discharge Rate Capacities

The person in charge of livestock feed and aquaculture feed businesses and/or activities with a total wastewater discharge rate of less than or equal to 3 m³ per day remains obligated to prepare technical standard documents for wastewater discharge or reuse. This provision is governed in Article 12, and its implementation is carried out in accordance with statutory provisions in the environmental approval sector.

Transitional Provisions

Article 13 governs the adjustments applicable to a person in charge of a business and/or activity that was already operating before the regulation became effective. A person in charge of a business and/or activity who already holds a technical approval for Wastewater Quality Standards compliance or a Statement of Commitment to Environmental Management and Monitoring (Surat Pernyataan Kesanggupan Pengelolaan dan Pemantauan Lingkungan Hidup, “SPPL”) is required to amend their Environmental Approval for those subject to Amdal or UKL-UPL obligations, or adjust the implementation of wastewater quality monitoring for those subject to the SPPL. Article 13 paragraph (2) provides that the amendment to the Environmental Approval may be made without amending the existing technical approval. All administrative and operational adjustments must be completed within a maximum of 2 (two) years from the date the regulation became effective.

Closing

MoE Regulation 2/2026 establishes wastewater quality standards and treatment technology standards specifically for livestock feed and aquaculture feed businesses and/or activities, including provisions based on the objective of discharge or reuse, discharge rate classifications, as well as provisions for integrated IPAL systems and the combination of industrial wastewater with domestic wastewater. These provisions also include the obligation to prepare technical studies for discharge or reuse with specific discharge rates, the preparation of technical standards for businesses with small discharge rates, and exemption mechanisms if the wastewater is managed through centralized plants, third parties, or reused. For the person in charge of a business and/or activity that has operated prior to MoE Regulation 2/2026 taking effect, an amendment to the Environmental Approval or an adjustment to the implementation of wastewater quality monitoring, as applicable, is required, which must be completed within a maximum of 2 (two) years from the date it became effective. Accordingly, the person in charge of a business and/or activity must ensure that the design, capacity, and operation of the IPAL comply with the parameters and technology standards set out in Annex I through Annex V and follow up on any required amendments to environmental documents in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.