Bali's beach clean up, source instagram widhi.wardhana

Bali Beach Cleanup: Volunteers and Tourists Team Up to Combat Trash in Kedonganan and Kuta

Share:

Waste beach cleanup efforts took place on several beaches across Bali. The Ministry of Environment organised the ceremonial Marine Waste Cleanup Action at Kuta Beach on Saturday, 4th January 2025.

Meanwhile, the Sungai Watch community selected Kedonganan Beach as the focal point for their cleanup, enlisting hundreds of volunteers over the weekend, from 4th to 5th January 2025.

The Ministry of Environment/Environmental Control Agency (BPLH) led a marine litter cleanup at Kuta Beach, Badung Regency, Bali Province, on Saturday, 4th January 2025. This initiative saw BPLH collaborate with five government ministries.

A total of 2,115 participants, along with several high-ranking officials, took part in the event.

These included Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu’ti, Minister of Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, and Acting Governor of Bali, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya.

4 Indonesian Ministers Together with Residents Clean up Trash on Kuta Beach Bali
4 Indonesian Ministers Together with Residents Clean up Trash on Kuta Beach Bali (Source: Viva)

 

As reported by Antara, Minister of Environment, Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, stated that the rubbish washing up on Bali’s beaches primarily originates from rivers in Java, which flow into the Java Sea.

“This waste follows the currents, moving eastwards, then south, with some eventually being deposited along Bali’s coastline,” Hanif explained during the marine waste cleanup at Kuta Beach, Badung Regency, Bali.

In addition to waste carried from Java, Hanif mentioned that the marine debris on Kuta Beach also originates from other countries, though he did not specify which ones. He further explained that marine debris is most prevalent during the west monsoon winds, which occur from October to March each year.

Hanif estimated that the volume of waste washed up on Bali’s shores during 2024-2025 would exceed that of the 2020-2021 period, which amounted to around 6,000 tonnes, and 2,900 tonnes in 2023. The increase in waste, he noted, was driven by population growth and environmentally harmful activities.

Meanwhile, the Founder of the Sungai Watch Organisation, Gary Bencheghib, identified the source of the plastic waste that had washed up on Kedonganan Jimbaran Beach.

Gary revealed that, based on the brand labels, much of the waste, predominantly in the form of plastic water bottles, had been transported from Java.

To carry out the cleanup, Gary invited both foreign and local volunteers, as well as Balinese residents, via social media. Hundreds of volunteers worked tirelessly, collecting the plastic waste from morning until noon, even in the rain.

The collected waste was transported to Sungai Watch’s eight waste stations across Bali, where it will be documented to determine its origins, sorted, and sent for recycling.

Bali’s Ongoing Garbage Crisis: Cleaned Beaches, But More Trash Returns

The waste on Bali’s Kuta Beach came in various forms, including plastic, rubber, and wood. It was gathered into sacks with the assistance of at least four pieces of heavy machinery and several trucks.

A total of 2,115 participants, representing diverse sectors, took part in the cleanup. The plastic waste collected was sorted and weighed before being sent to a waste processing centre in collaboration with a third-party partner.

A similar effort was made by over 500 volunteers at Kedonganan Beach. According to @sungaiwatch’s Instagram Story, within just half an hour, 100 sacks of trash had been collected. However, despite the volunteers’ efforts, new waste continued to wash ashore.

“As we clean up, new plastic waste keeps arriving. When will this end?” read the caption accompanying a video of the ongoing cleanup.

Find this article helpful? Check out our other News Article from Social Expat!

SEO Writer

Imelda is a content writer specializing in viral news and Indonesian culture. Her work revolves around researching and analyzing current events, social media trends, and popular culture.

Related News

I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali is undergoing a major runway resurfacing project that is scheduled to last for 10 months, from July 2025 until May 2026. The work involves a complete asphalt overlay of the runway’s surface, covering a length of 3,000 metres and a width of 45 metres. The General Manager […]

Indonesia continues to be a top travel destination for international visitors, particularly from neighbouring countries and regional partners. Based on recent data from the Central Statistics Agency (Badan Pusat Statistik/BPS), Malaysia has emerged as the leading country of origin for international tourists visiting Indonesia during the first five months of 2025. List of Top 10 […]

A 46 year old Swiss tourist, Benedikt Emmenegger, sustained serious injuries while descending Mount Rinjani in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Wednesday, 16 July 2025. The incident occurred shortly after he reached the summit of the mountain and was making his way down towards Segara Anak Lake via the Pelawangan Sembalun trail. Chairman of the […]

On Monday, 7 July 2025, US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of import tariffs on 14 countries, including Indonesia, declaring that Indonesian products would face a tariff rate of 32%. According to Mr Trump, these tariffs were scheduled to come into effect on 1 August 2025. “The tariff imposed for Indonesia is 32%, which […]

Expat Property

Indonesia Visas

Expat Event

Social Networking Event
150,000
OZONE Bar
Business Networking
150,000
Manaw – Contemporary Thai Dining
Social Networking Event
200.000
H BAR SCBD

Indonesia Guide

Just For Fun

Write For Us

Exclusive Promotions

Event Gallery