Garbage island forms off Jakarta coast, disrupting sea and fishers

Piles of garbage built up in several coastal waters off Jakarta on Friday (5/6), forming a stretch described as resembling a “garbage island.” The deposits disrupted the activities of fishers who moor their boats in the area and threatened marine ecosystems along the capital's coast. Republika reported that waste was carried from land by rivers and flowed into the sea, especially during the rainy season or when river flow increases. Officers from Suku Dinas Lingkungan Hidup Kepulauan Seribu and the Unit Penanganan Sampah Badan Air were deployed to clear the deposits. The waste removed included single-use plastic, household trash and other material that had accumulated in sedimentation areas. In addition to damaging coastal habitats and hindering the growth of marine life, plastic that breaks down into microplastics also risks entering the food chain.