NOVEMBER MOVEMENT : BRANTAS WITHOUT MICROPLASTIC

Last year Ecological Observation and Wetlands Conservation (ECOTON) did research on the Brantas River. The results are very surprising. The Brantas River contains Microplastics! Even though the Brantas river water is used for drinking water and crop irrigation which constitutes 1/5 of the national food stock. https://www.change.org/p/kementerianlhk-kemenpu-jokowi-free-brantas-river-from-microplastic-before-it-s-too-late-freebrantasfrommicroplastic-brantasbebasmikroplastik Microplastic is plastic with a size of less than 5 mm. There are two processes for the formation of microplastics, the first is deliberately produced in small sizes by industry and the second comes from large plastic crumbs. More shocked, 72% of fish in the Brantas river also contain microplastics. It's really dangerous if we consume fish with microplastics. Especially if it is eaten by children. Ecoton conducted lab tests on 51 people living in Brantas, whose POSITIVE faeces contained 5.38 Microplastic particles / 10 grams of faeces. Similarly in river water, the microplastic content is 1.47 to 41.32 particles / liter. Microplastic sources come from plastic waste, plastic bags, styrofoam, and disposable diapers which are mostly thrown into rivers. Most of the 12 waste paper factories that exist along the Brantas river. There are also body care products commonly known as microbeads or plastic scrubs, such as toothpaste, beauty scrubs, and facial wash / facial cleansers that are often thrown into the river. Microplastic which has been buried in the body for a long time has a bad effect. Can interfere with metabolism and hormones because there are compounds Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDC's). The mildest effects of diarrhea, and the most severe can trigger cancer, lymph nodes, skin, and nasopharynx. ECOTON ask the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) and the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) to handle this Microplastic by Microplastic Standart Regulation for industries liquid waste, especially for paper industry in Indonesia. Ecoton also encourage KLHK to ensure that every producer that produces sachet waste, disposable packaging, bottled drinking water, diapers once to provide a special waste bin through the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy. Also stop the production of personal care / body care / cosmetics that contain microbeads. The Demands above is part of the concrete steps of the JAKTRANAS program that refers to Perpres No 97/2017 on National Policies and Strategies for Management of Household Waste and Similar Household Waste and Government Regulation No 82/2001 concerning Water Pollution Control and Water Quality Management. ECOTON need your support to sign and distribute this petition for Brantas River Without Mikroplastics, before it's too late!