Plastic waste on shorelines and riverbanks can be a depressing sight. But the trash we see is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s estimated that 400 million tons of plastic are produced annually. And around 14 million tons of it ends up in the ocean. That’s the equivalent of two garbage trucks of plastic dumped into the sea, every minute of every day. For a year.
This tide of trash doesn’t just come from the coast. Garbage from inland is swept into waterways and rivers by rain and wind (and people), then transported to the sea. But its journey doesn’t end there.
When plastic waste enters the ocean, it also enters the food chain. Plastics are eaten by marine life, causing severe injuries and death.
Plastics also poison the environment itself. These materials are especially deadly to mangrove forests, as they entangle and choke the roots, reducing oxygen levels in the soil and causing the slow demise of plants and the animals that rely on them for food and shelter.
Turning the Tide on Trash
Tackling plastic waste is a big challenge. But solutions are out there, and every little helps. Working with a team of partners and volunteers, Trees4Trees recently got to work on a beach clean-up program spanning 1.2 miles (2 km) of mangroves and coastal ecosystems near Dukuhseti Village in Central Java’s Pati Regency. The activity was part of Trees4Trees’ 15th anniversary celebrations and were timed to coincide with World Ocean Day and World Environment Day.
Mustofa is one of Trees4Trees’ local partners. During the clean-up operations, he revealed the impact plastic continues to have on Dukuhseti. “This pollution not only damages the soil,” he explains. “I worry that the huge amounts of plastic waste we see here will also damage the mangroves cover in the area and break up the green belt we have created.”
Khoirum Minan is the Pati area Unit Manager for Trees4Trees. He agrees that something needs to be done to protect mangroves and restore ecosystem health. “Plastic waste hinders the growth of mangroves and leads to their death, so we have to do something to protect them,” he said.
During their clean-up operations, Khoirum and Mustofa recovered a diverse array of waste items, which collectively illustrate the scale of the problem. Their haul included countless plastic bottles and items of food packaging, along with weird and less-than-wonderful items like sandals, diapers, sanitary pads, and even a mattress (not the kind of seabed that marine conservationists are used to).
Cleaning Up Tourism Hotspots
Another location where Trees4Trees has been busy recently is Cemara Sewu beach, a popular tourism destination that’s in danger of being ruined by plastics. “During our clean-up activities, we discovered loads of food and drink packaging left by visitors,” explains Rizky Praditya, Trees4Trees’ Kebumen area Unit Manager. “If we don’t clean up the waste here, the pollution will soon affect other areas too,” he warned.
Changing Attitudes on the Citarum River
To really make a difference to plastic pollution, you need to go to the source. This means traveling upriver. As Mustofa explains, “so long as people keep throwing trash into the river, the shore will always be polluted with plastic waste and so will the ocean.”
With that in mind, Trees4Trees began working on clean-up operations in the tributaries of the Citarum River, which is sadly famous for its polluted waters. Focusing on the Cidadap and Rawabogo rivers. Trees4Trees got to work alongside local communities, village officials, and young environmental activists.
Read also: Travels in Java: Situ Cisanti and the Source of the Citarum River
“Cidadap river flows near residential areas,” says Asep Denis, the Ciminyak 3 Unit Manager. “The residents here have a habit of throwing their waste into the river,” he added. According to Mahesa, the Ciwidey Unit Manager, this makes community involvement an essential part of clean-up operations.
“We’re working to raise awareness in local communities, encouraging their involvement in keeping the river clean,” he said.
The problem of plastics can sometimes seem like a mountain to climb. But with various clean-up actions already being carried out in locations across Java, Trees4Trees and partners are taking steps in the right direction. Whether cleaning beaches, clearing rivers, or changing attitudes in local communities, the only way is up.
Writer: V. Arnila Wulandani. Editor: Christopher Alexander
