South Tangerang has now become one of the main highlights regarding poor air quality in Jakarta's buffer zone. Consistent exposure to pollution not only threatens residents' physical health, but also slowly damages the mental stability and cognitive function of citizens living and working in the area.
Urban & Environmental Health Lead at CISDI, Wisya Aulia Prayudi, revealed that high motor vehicle mobility is the primary trigger of poor air quality in the region. Based on data from Banten Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the number of motor vehicles in South Tangerang is projected to exceed 1.3 million units by 2025. In addition to transport emissions, the presence of industrial areas and the community habit of open trash burning further exacerbate the concentration of dangerous fine particles in the air.
Wisya explained that extremely small PM2.5 particles can penetrate the bloodstream and spread to all organs. In the short term, these pollutants trigger eye irritation, coughing, and shortness of breath. In the long term, however, the impacts are far more fatal, ranging from cardiovascular diseases, worsening diabetes, to increasing the risk of dementia in old age. This threat also highlights social inequality, where informal street workers are the most vulnerable group due to direct exposure without adequate protection.
The adverse effects of pollution also extend to psychological aspects. Clinical psychologist from Noutrisi Jiwa, Winona Lalita, explained that a reduced supply of clean oxygen to the brain caused by dirty air triggers an alert response in the body, which then increases the stress hormone cortisol. This causes people to frequently feel anxious, fatigued, demotivated, and emotionally unstable when facing a smog-filled environment.
To reduce emission rates, changes in community lifestyle and public infrastructure improvements must go hand in hand. Program Director of Bike2Work Indonesia, Dimas Gilang, emphasized the importance of switching to active transportation such as bicycles combined with commuter trains. However, he underlined that this transition requires government commitment to building safe bike lanes, proper sidewalks, and connectivity from homes to public transport stations.
On the other hand, household-level environmental awareness also plays an important role. Campaigns to reduce plastic waste and stop open garbage burning need to be promoted, as these activities produce hazardous super-pollutants. In addition, saving electricity at home helps reduce emission burdens from coal-fired power plants that contribute to regional air pollution.
