Navigating a Flood of Trash: Journey Towards the "Filthiest River Globally"
"Hey there, Buddy!"
Meet Wida Widiarti, a resident near the infamous Citarum River in Indonesia, often referred to as the "dirtiest river in the world." Surrounded by scenic landscapes, Bandung, her hometown, is known for its beauty… if you don't see the murky, trash-filled water.
"The trash just keeps coming back," says Widiarti, standing by the riverbank with her daughter, who looks worriedly at the debris-filled water. In some months, it's so bad that you can hardly see the water due to the trash. "Even during the better times, the Citarum is never free of trash," she says.
Southeastasia's Waste Dilemma
Indonesia, the second-largest contributor to ocean plastic pollution after China, isn't the only country in Southeast Asia battling a waste problem. Rapid population growth, mass tourism, inadequate waste separation, and lack of recycling infrastructure all contribute to the region's challenges. Many people also dispose of their waste in the environment due to insufficient waste management and a lack of environmental awareness. As environmental activist, Annie Leonard, sums it up, "There's no such thing as 'away'. When we throw something away, it must go somewhere."
Europe's Role in Asia's Waste Crisis
Speaking of "somewhere," waste from Europe often ends up in other countries, particularly in Southeast Asia. In 2024, Germany alone exported 732,000 tons of plastic waste, mostly to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. However, tracking, control systems, and recycling infrastructure in these countries are often inadequate. As a result, only a small portion of the waste gets recycled, and the rest is burnt, dumped, or disposed of illegally, ultimately ending up in the sea.
Beyond Indonesia: Bali and Thailand's Struggle
Even tourist hotspots like Bali and Thailand struggle with waste management. During the rainy season, beaches offer more disgust than dream potential, with tons of waste washing up on coasts. Although some waste comes from ocean currents, much of it comes from local sources. In Thailand, tourists are often horrified, especially on world-famous islands like Koh Samui and Phuket, where landfills and waste management are scarce.
The Textile Industry's Contribution to the Problem
The Citarum River, which provides drinking water, irrigation, and hydropower to nearly 30 million people, including the residents of Jakarta, has been affected by the rapid industrialization of the region in the 1980s. Textile factories sprang up along the riverbanks, discharging untreated waste, including heavy metals, dyes, and microplastics, into the water.
The "Fragrant Citarum" Campaign
In an effort to address the situation, then-President Joko Widodo launched an ambitious cleanup campaign called "Citarum Harum" or "fragrant Citarum" in English, aiming to make the river's water drinkable again within seven years. Despite the passage of time, the campaign has seen mixed results. The water quality has generally improved thanks to new wastewater treatment plants, but many factories are still discharging toxic waste into the river, especially at night to avoid detection. Additionally, toxic leachate from decomposing waste from the province's largest landfill is also entering the Citarum.
Breaking the Plastic Cycle
Despite cleanup efforts, new trash soon finds its way into the river, often due to the lack of access to clean drinking water, which forces residents to buy bottled water, contributing to the river's pollution. To tackle the situation, environmental activists stress the importance of addressing the source: regulating industries, educating the population, and transitioning to sustainable waste management practices. Without such efforts, the Citarum, and other rivers like it, will continue to face difficulties.
- In her role as an environmental activist, Annie Leonard advocates for addressing the waste problem in Southeast Asia by acknowledging, "There's no such thing as 'away.' When we throw something away, it must go somewhere."
- Speaking of waste destinations, Europe's waste often ends up in Southeast Asian countries, with Germany alone exporting 732,000 tons of plastic waste in 2024, predominantly to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
- To combat the waste crisis, experts suggest a multi-faceted approach including regulating industries, educating the population, and adopting sustainable waste management practices, as exemplified by the Fragrant Citarum Campaign in Indonesia.
- The economic and social policy of promoting rapid industrialization has had a significant impact on the environment, as seen in the Citarum River, with textile factories discharging untreated waste into the water, contributing to climate-change and posing a risk to the manufacturing industry and human health.