TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A total of 1.2 million tons of trashes polluted Indonesian seas with an average of 106,385 grams per meter square, based on the survey conducted by Directorate General of Pollution and Environmental Damage Control (PPKL) at Environment and Forestry (KLHK) Ministry in 18 regencies/cities throughout 2017.
“The study on trashes in coastal areas done by DG PPKL in 2017 show that macro-sized waste or waste above 2.5 centimeters is dominated by plastics amounted to 31.44 percent followed by woods at 29.75 percent. The rests are glasses and ceramics, rubber, fabric, plastic sponge, metal, paper and cardboard among others,” said the director general of PPKL, M.R. Karliansyah, in a press release received by Tempo on Monday, August 13.
Karliansyah said many Indonesian regions suffered coastal and sea damages. The concern strongly increased due to human activity in the land and sea.
“Plastic waste is the main sources of damages and pollutions in the ocean that affects the balance and perseverance of the ecosystem. This issue is the ministry's top focus,” he said.
According to Karliansyah, 80 percent of marine wastes was from land while the rest 20 percent cames from the sea, for example, the plastic waste from sailing and fishing sectors.
“The plastic waste that polluted the ocean comes from the land which is brought by river flows considering Indonesia's coastal areas cover 50 percent of the land with its populations reaches 70 percent,” he added.
Karliansyah mentioned the government at numerous international forums committed to reducing plastic waste in the ocean by 70 percent in 2025 to control the damage and pollution of the coastal areas and the ocean.
“We apply four strategies, raise the awareness of related stakeholders, manage the plastic waste in the terrestrial, and coastal areas and oceans, as well as the funding scheme, institutions, law enforcement, and research and development,” he explained.
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