Combating Ocean Plastic
"Plastic is the most destructive weapon than a nuclear bomb or an atom bomb, its impact shall remain for centuries on the future generation"
- Sir P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar
In an attempt to combat plastic pollution on the ocean, strategic actions are required from all parties (i.e. government, community). WRI Indonesia mentioned at least four strategies that the government can do to battle the plastic pollution which are the following:
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To have an integrated platform that enables stakeholders to monitor and update the status and baseline data of waste both in mainland and in the ocean. Once we understand where and how much the waste is, we can deploy better waste management, both preventive and reactive.
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To establish a circular economy solution to plastic waste which uses a circular approach to reuse and resolve plastic litter in the most effective way.
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To deploy a proper plastic waste management in the mainland, especially from residential houses and industries, as it will significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste in our ocean. In Indonesia, one solution that has been implemented for years for waste management is called bank sampah aka. waste bank, where the community can deposit their waste and earn money from their waste. With this strategy, the community can be more aware of their waste and encouraged to collect rather than to throw away their waste, hence less waste being disposed to the landfills.
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To have a collaboration and an understanding among government, civil society organisation, and community.
Prosperity through
WASTE
Bank sampah or waste bank is a win-win solution for waste management. Set up in neighborhoods where the community is encouraged to become more aware of their waste. They can deposit their waste (e.g. plastics, cardboards, papers) and earn some money from it.
What can we do to save our ocean?
Everyone plays an important role to save the planet from plastic pollution both on the mainland and on the ocean. Every little action counts, a small change will make a big difference. The easiest part of it all is that the big difference can start with us. According to the Oceanic Society, here is what you can do as an individual to save our planet from plastic pollution.
1. Reduce Your Use of Single-Use Plastics
As simple as it sounds, you can make a huge contribution to save our planet from ocean plastic pollution by reducing your use of single-use plastics in your daily life. The best way to do this is by refusing any single-use plastics that you do not need and using reusable products. By purchasing and using your own reusable products (e.g. grocery bags, straws, food containers, coffee cups, water bottles, etc), it will immensely reduce the use of single-use plastics that will potentially enter our ocean. Remember, you do not need fancy reusable products to make a change!
2. Support Legislation to Curb Plastic Production and Waste
Changing our individual behaviours alone might not be sufficient to stop ocean plastic pollution. Legislation is needed to reduce plastic production and improve waste management. Legislation also plays a crucial role to make plastic producers responsible for the waste they generate. In Indonesia, Handling Marine Debris is signed into law in 2018 through Presidential Decree Number 83/2018. It describes The National Action Plan for Marine Debris Management in 2018-2025 that contains five main strategies:
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The National Movement for Stakeholder Awareness Raising
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Mainland Waste Management
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Countermeasures on Coastal and Marine Waste
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Implementation on funding, Capacity Building, Monitoring and Law Enforcement
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Research and Development
3. Recycle Properly
As new plastics are generated on a daily basis, our land and ocean are more and more polluted. Recycling plastics properly may significantly decrease the amount of new plastic being generated. It is worth mentioning that sorting our waste also makes a huge contribution to the success of plastic recycling. Raising awareness about segregating our waste is just as important as recycling it.
Waste segregation
Plastic Recycling
4. Participate In (or Organize) a Beach or River Cleanup
Individual change makes a difference, even more so when the community works together to bring a positive impact. Participating or even organising a cleanup is one of the most direct examples in eliminating plastics, plus it can feel so rewarding. There are several cleanup initiatives, such as River Clean Up in Jakarta conducted by The Ocean Cleanup partnering with Indonesian government and Danone-Aqua, International Coastal Cleanup in Bali, Benioff Ocean Initiative in Citarum River as a collaboration between Greeneration Foundation, Waste4Change and River Recycle, and many more. Cleanup initiatives are often held regularly by the community in Indonesia, usually called kerja bakti or communal work
International Coastal Cleanup in Bali (left) and River Cleanup in Turirejo village (right)
5. Avoid Products Containing Microbeads
According to the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, microbeads are small (less than 5mm in diameter), solid, manufactured plastic particles that do not degrade or dissolve in water. They may be added to a range of products, including rinse-off cosmetic, personal care and cleaning products. They readily enter our oceans and waterways through our sewer systems, and eventually affect hundreds of marine species. Avoid products containing plastic microbeads by looking for “polyethylene” and “polypropylene” on the ingredient labels of your cosmetic products. You can check whether your favourite beauty products contains microbeads here.
6. Spread the Word
Keep informed on issues related to plastic pollution and raise awareness of the issue. Help our family and friends become aware of the problem that our planet is facing. It can be a light discussion at the dinner table, watching documentaries together or simply just post/like a reminder regarding the issues on our social media. Spreading the world is essential. However, keeping up with the issues of our planet could be extremely overwhelming and even devastating for many people. Ensure to prioritise our mental health as well by limiting our exposure to those issues-related content when needed.
7. Support Organisations Addressing Plastic Pollution
There are many non-profit organisations working to reduce and eliminate ocean plastic pollution in a variety of different ways, including Oceanic Society, Plastic Pollution Coalition, 5 Gyres, Algalita, Plastic Soup Foundation, Team Seas, and others. Make a donation if you can or even just share their hard work so that more people become aware of the issues.
