Rubbish in Lembongan/Nusa Penida

[BlueScreenProductions]

This movie was filmed during a trip to Bali (Lembongan), Indonesia in 2012

My girlfriend and I dived and snorkelled several times at a location called "Manta Bay" off the adjacent island of Nusa Penida. The Manta Rays congregate there to feed and mingle, however they are joined by a large collection of rubbish from the nearby island of Bali. The rubbish is so dense that it regularly enters the mantas mouths while they are trying to feed. This movie was created to not only exhibit the beauty of the Manta Rays of Nusa Penida but also to demonstrate the excessive garbage problem now hindering the coastlines surrounding Bali.

[youtubehq]lJsDYy0FjMY[/youtubehq]


Filmed: Nicholas Hart
Edited: Nicholas Hart and Susan Tong

 

[divewench1]

Great video, I've done that dive many, many times and never fail to be moved by the shear beauty of the Giant Manta here.

Unfortunately, as there isn't any infrastructure set up to deal with the garbage on Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and the mainland of Bali, the river run-off into the ocean can be a problem, especially in rainy season. Thank you for bringing this to the attention of the diving public. Until there is some improvement in the removal and disposal of waste, this problem will not go away. This also affects the Mola Mola (also seen along the Nusa Penida coastline) who mistake the floating plastic bags for delicious jellyfish and swallow large numbers of plastic on a daily basis, so sad.

 

[Sideways]

On our recent trip to Bali, we had 2 major issues that will might stop us from going back. Traffic...and the trash issue. I've traveled to a couple dozen countries, never have I seen trash in a "Resort" destination like we saw in Bali. It's very sad, it's a beautiful island, and the Balinese are such wonderful warm people. Nice video! We dove it 3 weeks ago and it was trash free compared to your experience.

 

[zivva]

Thanks for the devastating testimony ...

Unfortunately, as there isn't any infrastructure set up to deal with the garbage on Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and the mainland of Bali, the river run-off into the ocean can be a problem, especially in rainy season.

Actually, due to a non existent tourism industry but basic wastes management (bins), Nusa Penida is way more clean than mainland Bali & Nusa Lembongan.

There is simple opportunities to reduce plastic wastes as there is more & more recycling businesses established in Bali (Eco Bali, Bali Recycling, Enviro Pallets...) but only a few tourism businesses are committed to work with them ... As long as tourism $$$ continue to flow, why bother ?

 

[divewench1]

There is simple opportunities to reduce plastic wastes as there is more & more recycling businesses established in Bali (Eco Bali, Bali Recycling, Enviro Pallets...) but only a few tourism businesses are committed to work with them ... As long as tourism $$$ continue to flow, why bother ?

It's such a shame. I know from first hand experience that the waste collected daily from some areas of Bali, ends up in the nearest dry river bed, which (when it rains) makes its way straight back into the ocean. I also know of one dive centre (a PADI Eco centre) who buries it's waste on the beach.

The recycling businesses may be there in some places, but they are only just scratching the surface and desperately need to encompass the whole island. At least it's a start.

Traffic and trash are the regular complaints from visitors to the islands, hopefully the 'powers that be' will be listening,
before the 'island of the Gods' becomes the island of the dross


(PS @zivva: any idea what happens to the waste collected in the bins on Nusa Penida?)

 

[zivva]

It's such a shame. I know from first hand experience that the waste collected daily from some areas of Bali, ends up in the nearest dry river bed, which (when it rains) makes its way straight back into the ocean. I also know of one dive centre (a PADI Eco centre) who buries it's waste on the beach.

Official way to dispose of the trashes is to dump (mostly in illegal dumping sites - including river beds - as the official dumping sites are way too small compared to the island wastes volumes ...) & burn them. Recycling businesses are foreign private companies : they are in this business to make $$$, they may dump some of the collected wastes but at least they recycle some of it.

Don't know what is the most stupid & inexcusable : burring its own trash on the beach or sending it to the Mangrove Forest but both are done daily by 99% of the businesses in Lembongan.

The recycling businesses may be there in some places, but they are only just scratching the surface and desperately need to encompass the whole island. At least it's a start.

The volume of waste is so huge (30 millions of plastic bottles are used in Bali every month ! No data on polystyrene, plastic bags & various food packaging but I let you imagine the numbers ...) compared to the size of the island, only political changes (ban of some kind of packaging + law enforcement + education) might solve part of the problem but ... "As long as tourism $$$ continue to flow, why bother ?"

(PS @zivva: any idea what happens to the waste collected in the bins on Nusa Penida?)

I guess most of it is burned & a small part of plastic (mostly plastic bottles) is collected by some guys that make a living selling them in Java. At least you don't see mounds of trash every 20 meters as in Lembongan or some parts of Bali ...