Plastic Waste From A Foreign Country Found Stranded On Natuna Beach

One of the plastic bottle waste that is thought to have come from Malaysia. (ANTARA/Muhamad Nurman)

JAKARTA - Waste in the form of plastic waste from the Asian region was found landing on several beaches in the Natuna Regency, Riau Islands Province (Kepri).

Tanjung Beach trader, Northeastern Bunguran District, Parman in Natuna, Tuesday, said such conditions often occur when entering December.

"If the north season enters, there will definitely be garbage on the beach," he said, quoted from Antara, Tuesday.

According to him, the amount of waste will increase if it enters the beginning of the year. "In January and February, there will be more," he said.

Garbage found ranging from plastic bottles used for drinks to plastic bottles used for cosmetics, especially from China, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. "The trade in Vietnamese bottles with Thailand dominates," he said.

Apart from that, he often finds plastic waste from Indonesia and wood waste. "There was Nipah that was swept away here, the value of the Nipah," said Parman.

He suspects that the garbage from foreign countries was dumped by ships passing through international waters around Natuna Island. "Because the possibility of direct shipments from their country is very small," he said.

According to him, the garbage that entered several beaches in Natuna was carried away by the wind and waves.

Meanwhile, environmental observer Jelajah Bahari Natuna (JBN) Natuna, Cherman, said that almost every beach on the islands in the Natuna area is a subscription to landing garbage, especially plastic waste from neighboring countries.

The most common types of waste were bottles of drinks, shampoos, soaps, oil packaging, detergent, to floor cleaners. "I suspect that the waste is more than the result of the disposal of passing ships and foreign fishing vessels, because the waste is averaged with bottles of drinks, equipment or necessities on ships, as well as waste oil," said Cherman.

According to the results of his team's search, product waste from China, Thailand, Vietnam, India, to Malaysia, in recent years have been found on the beaches of small islands such as Serasan, Subi, Laut Island, Semiun Island, and Tiga Island, in addition to garbage from Indonesia.

"And the most garbage is along Sengiap beach and Sisi Beach in Serasan, but almost all islands have garbage sent," he said.

Cherman hopes it will be a concern for all parties, especially the country of origin of waste.

"Let's together keep the Asian Sea healthy without garbage, because Natuna, who is in the center of Asia, is a fish barn. Therefore, the Asian state is obliged to protect it and Indonesia must be firm regarding this waste issue," he hoped.