Overview

Black smoke rises from the chimney of the active incinerator of Lakardowo Village in Indonesia. The smell is so bad, that the local community suffers from dizziness and gagging. Levels of breast cancer and stomach problems are on the rise. Two other villages are also impacted, Sumber Wuluh and Sambigembol. Crops are covered with black ash and farmers are finding high rates of heavy metals in their soil. Yields have dramatically decrease over the past five years. The incinerator is run by a local company to burn medical waste from hospitals in East Java and East Indonesia. The company also openly burns the hazardous waste and digs big holes to bury the toxic ashes underground. The groundwater in the village is a source for irrigation and drinking water and clean water for the community. The groundwater in the village is heavily polluted with heavy metals and toxic chemicals. Inhabitants can no longer use their water wells for drinking, but still use the polluted water for irrigation, washing and bathing.