On Tuesday, hundreds of personnel from the Bali Police and the local military joined students and volunteers to collect trash from two of the island’s most popular tourist beaches: Kuta and Kedonganan in Badung Regency.

Additional cleanup operations were also conducted at Delod Berawah Beach in Jembrana Regency and Saba Beach in Gianyar. The efforts successfully removed several tonnes of waste from the beaches.

Bali Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Ariasandy said that authorities invited the public to join this beach cleanup program because community involvement is crucial in preserving our marine ecosystem.

“Today’s activity aims to raise awareness about environmental protection and to create clean, healthy and welcoming beaches for visitors,” Ariasandy said.

“Keeping the beaches clean not only benefits the environment but also supports economic activity and has a positive impact on tourism,” he added.

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Bali Governor Wayan Koster said that it will establish a special task force to tackle the trash problem at Kuta Beach, following President Prabowo Subianto’s recent criticism.

“We are grateful for the President’s attention to Bali’s beach trash issue, especially at Kuta Beach,” Koster said. “We will immediately establish a dedicated task force at Kuta Beach to respond quickly whenever marine debris arrives from outside Bali. The goal is to have the beach clean again within one hour.”

Read also: Tourism associations raise concerns over Bali’s overtourism, waste problems

In addition to the task force, Koster emphasized that regular community cleanup activities will be held at Kuta Beach. These initiatives will actively involve local residents and students, ensuring the beach remains clean and welcoming for visitors.

During a meeting with regional heads in Bogor, West Java, on Monday, President Prabowo Subianto voiced his concern over Bali’s growing waste problem.

“I recently met with several foreign leaders in South Korea, and they shared their criticism about Bali’s beaches. They told me, ‘Your Excellency, I just returned from Bali. The beaches are so dirty now. Bali is no longer as beautiful.’ We should take these remarks as constructive feedback and work together to address the issue,” he said.

Bali has been grappling with a growing waste crisis in recent years, with unmanaged garbage frequently contributing to environmental problems such as flooding, even in popular tourist areas.

In 2024, the island generated 1.2 million tonnes of waste, with the majority coming from tourist hubs such as Denpasar, Gianyar and Badung. Governor Koster previously noted that nearly all of Bali’s landfill sites have reached their capacity, with single-use plastics making up the largest share of the waste.

A 2019 study revealed that only around 48 percent of Bali’s waste is properly managed through recycling or landfilling. A significant portion of collected waste never reaches recycling facilities or the island’s 10 official landfills, resulting in an estimated 33,000 tonnes of plastic entering Bali’s waterways each year.

To address Bali's mounting waste problem, Governor Koster launched several initiatives last year, including bans on single-use plastic bags, cups, straws and Styrofoam in businesses, government offices, schools, hotels, restaurants, markets and places of worship. The production and distribution of water bottles smaller than one liter has also been prohibited.

Businesses, government offices, schools, hotels, restaurants, markets and places of worship are also required to sort their waste, compost organic materials and recycle inorganic waste, either independently or through third-party services, so that only residual waste ends up in landfills.

Looking ahead, Bali plans to construct its first waste-to-energy facility, with construction starting in March and operations expected next year. 

Read also: Bali villages to get grants of up to Rp 1 billion to effectively manage waste

Following President Prabowo’s criticism of Bali’s beach waste problem, Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhani announced that the ministry will expand beach cleanup initiatives to popular tourist destinations across Indonesia.

“The Ministry of Tourism has been running the Clean Tourism Movement since last year. Now, the program is being strengthened and elevated as part of the President’s priority agenda,” she said on Wednesday, as quoted by Kompas.com. (nal)

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