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SCMP’s Asia desk

The Indonesian resort island of Bali has vowed to clean up its waste in two years.
Provincial governor I Wayan Koster confirmed last week that the aim was to make the island waste-free by 2027.
“One of the urgent priorities is to make Bali free from waste. The target is within two years, the sooner, the better,” he told The Bali Sun newspaper.
The two-year deadline was mentioned by environment minister Hanif Nurofiq on March 24 during a site inspection for a proposed waste management facility on the island.
The facility is expected to include a waste-to-energy function to support sustainability, according to local media Nusa Bali.

“We hope that this pressure will allow Bali to lead the charge on waste management,” Gary Bencheghib, co-founder of local environmental group Sungai Watch, said in a social media post.
“Now more than ever, we need to scale up existing simple solutions,” added Bencheghib, who met Koster last week.
Clean village competition
Also on March 24, Koster announced a waste management competition among all villages on the island to combat the rubbish problem, according to Detik Bali newspaper.
The competition is expected to be held next year, with details to be announced closer to the date.
Between 500 million and 1 billion rupiah (US$30,000 to US$60,000) awaited the winning village, Koster said.
“If all villages work effectively, the target of solving the waste problem in Bali can be achieved in two years,” he said.

He also announced new regulations that required businesses including hotels, malls, and eateries to form waste management units and handle rubbish properly.
Businesses which fail to comply risk having their permits revoked, while those which successfully manage their waste will receive incentives.
Bali has long had a problem dealing with mountains of rubbish, partly brought in by the tide.
A huge deposit washed ashore on the Labuan Sait Beach south of the island last week, The Bali Sun reported.
The local environment authorities deployed 70 people, alongside volunteers, to clean up the 14 tonnes (15 tons) of waste on Wednesday.
Officials have made a controversial decision to burn the waste on the beach, citing an inability to transport it away.


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Indonesia

Indonesia’s Bali vows to become waste-free in 2 years

Workers clean up a river filled with rubbish in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.  Photo: EPA-EFE

A man collects plastic and other debris washed ashore at a beach in Kedonganan, Bali. Photo: AFP

Sungai Watch, founded by (from left) Gary, Kelly and Sam Bencheghib in Bali, Indonesia, aims to stop plastic from flowing into the ocean. Credit: Sungai Watch

Indonesia’s Bali to crack down on ‘naughty’ foreigners with new rules and tourism levy

Foreign tourists relax on Kuta Beach on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali in November 2023. Photo: AFP

Tourists walk near Kuta Beach, Bali. New guidelines urge foreign tourists to respect customs, or face strict action for misconduct. EPA-EFE

Indonesia’s Bali eyes water taxis to tackle traffic woes

Traffic on the road in Bali, Indonesia, in 2023. Photo: Shutterstock

Tourists walk on a footpath at Kuta Beach in Bali, Indonesia, on Monday. In the first two months of 2025, 1.9 million foreign nationals entered Bali, according to tourism authorities. Photo: EPA-EFE

Heavy traffic on a street Bali with a large number of motorbikes. Photo: Dave Smith

Australian tourist killed as boat capsizes off Indonesia’s Bali, raising safety concerns

Survivors sit on the hull of a capsized boat, as they wait to be rescued. Photo: Klungkung District Police

Is Jakarta’s ‘cat island’ a purr-fect plan to boost tourism and solve its stray cat problem?

Cats are fed at a shelter in Bogor, West Java province, Indonesia, in December 2019. Photo: Reuters

A cat reacts as it is being fed  at a shelter in Bogor, West Java province, Indonesia in December 2019. Photo: Reuters

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung plans a “cat island” to tackle its stray cat issue. Photo: EPA-EFE

Asia can’t afford to wait for the US to wake up to its climate duty

Elephants wade through flood waters to help bring relief supplies to villagers in Chiang Mai province, Thailand, on October 6, 2024. Photo: AP

This Week in Asia

Health & Environment

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Asia

Southeast Asia

A sustainable waste management facility which can convert rubbish to energy is in the works for the resort island


A sustainable waste management facility which can convert rubbish to energy is in the works for the resort island.
