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View all search resultsInsidious pollutants: Microplastics floating in Jakarta’s air, water
According to a 2022 BRIN study of rainwater samples collected across the city, microplastics are floating in Jakarta's skies and waterways, posing risks to both the environment and its inhabitants.
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Thick, dark clouds fill the sky above high-rises in Central Jakarta on July 8, 2024, after several days of heavy rain. (AFP/Bay Ismoyo)
T
he city administration has pledged to improve plastic waste management and processing in response to a study indicating microplastic contamination in Jakarta’s rainwater.
A 2022 study by researchers from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), first published in open access journal Marine Pollution Bulletin and recently presented to the Jakarta Environment Agency, found microplastics in samples of rainwater collected in the city.
Defined as small plastic particles measuring between 1 nanometer and 5 millimeters, the microplastics were of various shapes and originated from both household and industrial use, pointing to microplastic contamination in the atmosphere.
They also discovered that the contaminants’ deposition rate, or the amount of microplastics that settle onto a surface per unit of time, was relatively higher during the rainy season.
On receiving the study, the agency acknowledged the importance of cutting down on single-use plastics as well as boosting waste management in the capital.
“We consider the finding as an environmental warning that requires swift and collaborative responses,” Jakarta Environment Agency head Asep Kuswanto said in a statement on Saturday.
“Plastic pollution is no longer isolated in seas or rivers. It has now reached the skies above Jakarta,” he continued, adding that officials had started expanding the city’s monitoring system to trace microplastics in the air and rainwater.
