Plastic waste has emerged as a major issue in Bali recently. There is a lot of impact caused by the mountain of trash that is seen around all corners of this beautiful island. Regrettably, Bali no longer possesses the same charm it once did. This issue is a red warning for the Government and the people to resolve this plastic waste as soon as possible.
The bad domino effect from the Suwung landfill fire is becoming increasingly felt. Even after the incident on 12 October 2023, the smoke pollution continues to cover Bali until this day. According to Jaya Negara (the mayor of Denpasar) statement, there is another 400 tons of plastic waste that unable to handled by the landfill.
Furthermore, the presence of the “Mountain Trash” in Bali severely disrupted environmental cleanliness. For instance, in Dauh Puri Kaja in Denpasar, numerous local traders complain that the pile of trash irritates them.
One of the local traders named Distra Maulana highlighted that the trash had a significant impact on the community’s water quality and the stench makes them feel breathless whenever they’re passing by. So, what measures has Bali taken to address this colossal problem?
Bali Facing Real Problem with Plastic Waste, What’s The Government Action to Resolve?
In December 2018, Bali government implemented a new policy according to this waste issue. In addition, they also announce to all the business owners, tourists, and locals to prepare using environmentally-friendly for their needs. This initiative was adopted by the Indonesian government and banned single use plastic from the 4th quarter of 2022.
Indonesia is grappling with a significant and widespread problem concerning plastic waste, which extends beyond the borders of Bali. Several cities, including Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, and Bali, are facing the dire consequences of excessive plastic consumption and poor waste management practices.
A research study from Science, Indonesia became the poorly managed plastic waste with Bali alone contributing up to 38%. This should be a red warning for everyone in Bali to reduce plastic and prioritize recycling to prevent further landfill from getting burned.
Bali’s Plastic Waste Statistics in 2022
Based on data from Kata Data research in 2022, the accumulation of plastic waste in Bali rose up to 1,02 million tons throughout the year. Compared to 2021, the volume significantly increased to 12,22% and made Bali become the 8th city that had the highest amount of plastic trash in Indonesia.
| Regency | Weight (Ton) |
| Denpasar City | 316.312,65 |
| Gianyar | 196.698,5 |
| Buleleng | 143.283,67 |
| Badung | 143.283,67 |
| Karangasem | 113.711,83 |
| Jembrana | 59.472,92 |
| Bangli | 40.836,05 |
| Klungkung | 37.643,55 |
Conclusion
Indonesia plastic waste, especially in Bali has become a national issue for the past three months. It’s time for us to get involved in waste reduction. We can begin by taking small steps such as using reusable bottles, utensils, etc. Additionally, we can also do DIY recycling practices at home and sorting the trash before it is taken by the waste collectors.
We can see that South Korea, Germany, Finland, and other countries have already embarked on this action and became the cleanest nations in the world. Therefore, let us initiate our own journey by taking these small but impactful steps for plastic waste today!
