Indonesia is one of the countries in SEA with the highest plastic pollution in the world. Microplastics threaten health, the environment, and marine life.
Indonesia is struggling to deal with plastic waste leakage into its 3.25 million square kilometers of water. This pollution causes a serious problem: marine life is exposed to microplastics.
Microplastics are plastic particles measuring 1 micrometer to 5 millimeters. They are up to 1 per 70 times human hair diameter. These invisible particles have unique properties such as absorbing other pollutants. Microplastics can cause disease and threaten marine life.
Southeast Asia has some of the highest levels of plastic pollution in the world. This raises concerns about the environment, fish stocks, and resilience to climate change and natural hazards.
The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) collaborated with Divers Clean Action and the Indonesian Bird Conservation Association in a study entitled Microbial Transformation of Plastics in Southeast Asian Seas: A Hazard And A Solution, looking at microplastic threats and solutions. The study started in October 2020 and is supported by the University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom.
In terms of policy, the government is trying to deal with microplastics through Presidential Regulation No.83/2018 on Marine Debris. A National Action Plan (NAP) for marine debris handling in 2018-2025 was developed, which became a strategic direction for ministries and institutions to tackle marine debris.
Here is the full report by Kompas TV supported by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network through a grant program that supports environmental coverage from island nations in the Asia-Pacific.
Here is the full report by Kompas TV supported by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network through a grant program that supports environmental coverage from island nations in the Asia-Pacific.
Part 1:
Part 2: