Samples From Three Islands In The Thousand Islands Contain Microplastics

Surface water sampling on Onrust Island, Thousand Islands, Jakarta, Saturday (22/2/2025). (DOC. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The samples taken from three islands in the Thousand Islands, Jakarta turned out to be contaminated with microplastics after being researched by the ecoton Foundation.

"On Untung Island, Java, microplastics found in surface water are 72 particles per 10 liters," said Ecoton Foundation Education Division Manager M Alaika Rahmatullah in Jakarta, quoted from ANTARA, Saturday, February 22.

He said this on a media tour entitled "From Water to the Food Chain: Revealing Microplastic Threats Around Us" held by the Indonesia Zero Waste Alliance (AZWI).

Then in the skin swab, two garbage disposal officers (TPS) were found 68 and 30 particles, respectively.

Local skin samples through the swab method found 21 particles, and 13 particles were found in the leaves.

Alaika Rahmatullah said the particles found in the TPS officers were fiber, film, and fragment.

"What we see is dominated by fiber-type particles. Why are many fiber particles identified in the skin because fiber comes from fabrics. It could be because the cloth used has a mixture of plastic, such as polyesters. Polyester has nylon, yes. It could be that the long shirts stick fiber flakes to the face of the TPS officers when they wipe their sweat," he said.

Meanwhile, film particles come from thin plastics such as crackle or disposable plastic.

Fragments come from saset plastic.

Meanwhile, on Onrust Island, the microplastic found in surface water is 35 particles per 10 liters, 19 skin swabs are particles, and 7 leaves are 7 particles.

On Cipiri Island, microplastics found in surface water are 44 particles per 10 liters, swab skin 25 particles, and leaves there are 17 particles.

Furthermore, the Head of the Econonium Foundation Rafika Aprilianti explained that the microplastics wereoclastics, fractures, pieces of plastic which were less than 5 millimeters in size.

"Plastik will not be decomposed and lost in the environment, it can only be divided or degraded into a new form, namely microplastic," said Rafika Aprilianti.

The Indonesian Zero Waste Alliance (AZWI) is nine organizations consisting of YPBB, Indonesian Dietplastics, Nexus 3 Foundation, Bali PPLH, Ecoton, Zero Waste, Greenpeace Indonesia, Gita Pertiwi, and Walhi.

AZWI campaigns for the implementation of the right zero waste concept in the context of mainstreaming various existing activities, programs, and zero waste initiatives to be implemented in various cities and regencies in Indonesia by considering the hierarchy of waste management, the material life cycle, and the circular economy.