Marine Debris in Indonesia. Ecology, Social, and Economic Aspects (PDF)

Anthology from the year 2020 in the subject Environmental Sciences, , language: English, abstract: Contamination of the world's oceans due to marine debris, especially human-engineered materials, is a global problem and a challenge for many countries, especially those with coastal communities. Marine debris has entered a new chapter since the international and national conferences were held since the 1950s. The UN (United Nation) in the environmental sector is known to explicitly state that marine debris has damaged the seas an oceans for a long time and has an impact on all areas of life.

Currently, more than 1.2 trillion plastic bags are used every year around the world for daily needs. About 2 million plastic bags are used every minute worldwide and around 32 million tons of plastic waste are generated annually, representing 12.7% of total solid waste. Every resident in Indonesia produces an average of 800 plastic bags per year.

This means that the use of plastic has become a necessity for humans. However, it is not balanced with a reduction or how it can be reused. Poor waste management, especially in developing countries, is one problem/challenge that must be addressed by the government. Almost all developing countries do not have complete infrastructures and legal regulations for waste management. For example, in a country like Indonesia, the recycling rate of waste is low at under 50%. The awareness not to litter is also a cause for concern. Garbage is easily found in gutters, roads, rivers, and coasts.