The rainy season has arrived in Bali, which has become synonymous with more than just wet weather.
Every year during the rainy season, tides of ocean waste and river debris wash up on Bali’s most popular tourist beaches. This year, officials are working to get ahead of any potential disasters.
Bali Provincial Government Agencies have confirmed that they are working to improve waste management systems and are planning ahead to ensure that the island’s most popular tourist beaches stay as clean as possible for the community.
Speaking at the Waste Management Readiness Roll Call at Baruna Shelter earlier this week, Bali Governor Wayan Koster told the media and government agencies, “Every year, during the heavy rainy season, Bali is not only polluted by our own waste, but also by the arrival of waste from outside the region. This has become an annual cycle, especially between December and February.”
The event doubled as a beach clean-up operation and was attended by officers from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), the relevant regional government agencies (OPD), volunteers, environmental groups, and the general public.
Governor Koster was accompanied by the Commander of the 163/Wirasatya Military Command, Brigadier General Ida I Dewa Agung Hadisaputra, who inspected the readiness of both the troops and waste management equipment.
According to Governor Koster, the tides of plastic waste that hit Bali’s shores originate from East Java, but some also drift from Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.
This is a statement that he has long repeated, though many on the island are also quick to note that Bali must also take responsibility for the waste produced on the island, especially since, in some areas, just as much debris that lands on Bali’s beaches comes from the island’s rivers as it does the sea.
Nevertheless, ocean currents that arrive during the rainy season carry waste material to Bali’s southern waters, where it quickly accumulates on the coast of popular resort areas such as Jimbaran, Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, and Canggu.
Governor Koster explained, “Kuta Beach is a showcase for Bali’s tourism, a place for both foreign and domestic tourists to enjoy our natural beauty. We must not let that beauty be marred by piles of trash that make the beach look dirty and filthy.”
The Governor also ordered the Badung Regency Government to be as prepared as possible by having cleaning staff on standby at all times, especially along the 20-kilometer stretch of beach between Jimbaran and Canggu, which is most prone to being hit with tides of waste.
Governor Koster noted, “With the preparedness we have implemented today, once the trash arrives, we don’t have to wait long. We can work on it immediately, resolve it quickly, so the area can be cleaned up again quickly.”
He also called for government agencies to cooperate to help minimise the impact of the inevitable tides of waste on the public’s experience of Bali’s most iconic beaches.
The Governor noted specifically that the Waste Management Agency of the Badung Regency Government must coordinate with the Bali Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
He concluded, “Let’s maintain this beach responsibly. This is not only about cleanliness, but also about maintaining Bali’s dignity and beauty in the eyes of the world.”
This year’s rainy season has already started to cause trouble on Bali’s beaches, though it is mostly exacerbating existing issues. On Bali’s Bingin Beach, heavy rainfall has pushed demolition debris onto the beachfront. Complaints have already been lodged as the debris is not only unsightly but also poses a threat to public safety.
Local leaders have called for an urgent response from the Badung Regency Government, though the Badung Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) Chief I Gusti Agung Ketut Suryanegara shared that a clean-up operation may be a while off yet. He told reporters this week that the demolition work has been completed, but removal of the debris is another matter.
He shared, “We’ve actually pulled the debris up several times, but with rising sea levels and waves, it’s been pulled back up again.” Noting “We want to continue the cleanup, we’re waiting for approval for the budget shift. After that, we can resume the cleanup.”
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