Sanur, Bali 10 December 2022 – Plastic pollution in the sea is a complex problem and knows no regional or national boundaries. The problems not solely come from the sea, but further upstream, such as how the industry produces and distributes plastic products, to the point where the most important thing is how consumers or the public handle the waste they produce. This is a long chain of plastic value cycle (life cycle).
Seeing the marine waste problem that is currently happening on the beaches of the southern part of the Bali island, Let’s Do Recycling! Program (abbreviated as LDRP), which is a plastic recycling advocacy and education program, continues to strive to present solutions and increase awareness of waste handling and management through a penta-helix collaboration involving several parties, from government, society and communities, academics, industry, and also publications / media.
Through the seminar "Let’s Do Recycling: Addressing Marine Waste to Promote Sustainable Tourism" the Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno said that according to the Sustainable Travel Report, 83% of tourists consider sustainable travel important and 62% of global tourists prefer destinations and eco-certified accommodation. The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is trying to respond to changes in global tourism trends by developing tourist destinations to become smart-green destinations.
"The imbalance between socio-culture as well as the economy and the environment are our homeworks, and one of those is a responsible waste management. In realising this real action, it needs to be complemented through a process of communication, information, education and socialisation," said the Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno.
Vice Governor of Bali, Prof. Tjokorda Oka Artha or who is familiarly called Cok Oka in the same occasion also said that the tourism sector in Bali is currently recovering. The transition period for the return of tourists to Bali must be balanced with the readiness of tourist destinations from aspects such as cleanliness.
"Caring for the environment has long been the responsibility of the Balinese people to protect Balinese wisdom. However, along with the transformation of livelihoods, there is a vacuum of responsibility. This obligation needs to be remembered and re-implemented in the present," explained Prof. Tjokorda Oka Artha, Vice Governor of Bali Province.
The environment including the beach has many functions for the Balinese people, most of whom are surrounded by beaches, ranging from cultural functions, conservation, transportation, and others. However, problems related to waste pollution cannot be avoided, starting from wood waste at certain seasons, liquid waste, even oil waste in port areas.
"Responding to this, we have tried from upstream to downstream to pay attention to environmental issues, from mountains, lakes, rivers, springs to beaches and seas, because when speaking of the environment, it is a multi-sectoral thing. Based on the Governor's policy regarding source-based waste management, we continue to work to increase public awareness regarding its implementation," explained I Made Teja, Head of the Bali Province Environment Agency.
The joining of the government through the Bali Province Environmental Service, the public and communities through the Bali Waste Cycle, the Bali Tourism Board, and the Greeneration Foundation, media publications through the Waste Care Journalists Network, and the industry through PT Trinseo Materials Indonesia in the LDRP advocacy and education program is expected to present a solution for handling waste, especially in Bali which is currently focusing on marine waste.
In its efforts to develop sustainable tourist destinations, the Bali Tourism Board also adds that cleanliness is a major factor that needs attention, especially in terms of waste management. However, overcoming the waste problem needs to be seen as a whole or holistically. In fact, data from several sources say that currently 80% of marine wastce in Indonesia comes from land and 30% is categorized as plastic waste. Public awareness to sort and manage waste will support the waste management ecosystem so that waste does not end up polluting the environment. In addition, waste that is managed properly is able to generate added value that can encourage a circular economy.
Referring to Law no. 18 of 2008 concerning waste management, the responsibility for this waste is not only the responsibility of one party (the government), but also producers as producers of waste to participate in joining the waste management and recycling ecosystem which is also clearly stated in Article 15, where producers responsible for the packaging.
The plastic waste recycling advocacy and education program initiated by PT Trinseo Materials Indonesia, Let’s Do Recyling Program (LDRP) also enlivened this seminar. Present as a guest speaker representing the industry, Hanggara Sukandar as Director of Environment & Sustainability Affairs Responsible Care®️ Indonesia also stated that the process of sorting plastic waste would support the recycling process, which can now be done with the continued development of technology.
"There are many types of plastic that can be recycled, starting from PET, PS, PP, and others. However, socialization regarding the management and sorting of this type of plastic waste still needs to be carried out because not all people understand this yet," said Hanggara Sukandar, Responsible Care® Indonesia.
Socialization activities as a way to deal with waste problems that affect cleanliness or health in tourism locations can be carried out by anyone, one of which is also carried out by environmental organizations, the Greeneration Foundation, which conveys that tourism locations also need to be the main focus in maintaining a clean environment.
Various parties support to be involved in tackling the waste problem. One of them is the media as a place to deliver messages to the wider community to provide education and outreach regarding waste management. Therefore, the Let’s Do Recycling! Program is coming closer to the community through the website yyadu.com which shares information and education about plastic from various perspectives, from its benefits to its recycling process.
"Socialisation and education should not be finished. Collaboration from all parties is still needed to create a maximum waste management ecosystem to create sustainable Bali tourism," concluded the Deputy Governor of Bali, Prof. Tjokorda Oka Artha.
