Enviro News Asia, Bali – The piles of washed-up trash overwhelming the beaches in Bali have become alarming and are disrupting the comfort of both locals and tourists. To address this issue, four ministers came directly to Kuta Beach, Bali, to lead a coastal cleanup campaign on Saturday (January 4, 2025).
The four ministers involved were Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, and Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti.
Coordinating Minister Zulkifli Hasan emphasized the severe impact of waste, particularly plastic, which is difficult to decompose. “If not promptly addressed, plastic waste could threaten food security, especially in the fisheries sector,” he stated.
Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq highlighted that approximately 600,000 tons of waste are disposed of into the sea daily. Specifically in Bali, seasonal waste accumulation occurs during the Western Monsoon from October to March, with an estimated 6,000 tons recorded in 2020-2021, decreasing to 2,900 tons in 2023 but projected to rise again in 2024-2025. This increase is attributed to population growth and rising environmentally unfriendly activities.
“Kuta is prioritized for the cleanup campaign because of its international reputation but is currently plagued by trash,” said Minister Hanif Faisol, as reported by Antara. The cleanup action involved 2,115 participants, including personnel from the military, police, students from tourism universities, community groups, sanitation workers, and social media influencers.
Participants collected washed-up debris, such as plastics, rubber materials, wood, and other waste. The collected trash was then sorted, weighed, and transported for further processing by waste management partners. In addition to the ministers, the event was also attended by Deputy Minister of Environment Diaz Hendropriyono, Presidential Special Envoy for Tourism Zita Anjani, local officials, and representatives from various institutions.
Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq revealed that most of the waste washing ashore in Bali originates from rivers in Java, which flow into the Java Sea. “This trash follows the currents, moving eastward and southward, with some eventually washing up on Bali’s beaches,” Hanif explained.
