50 Students Free Mangroves from Plastic Trash

Relawan Sungai Nusantara clean up Surabaya east coast from Plastic Waste 

50 students from 4 Universities who are members of Relawan Sungai Nusantara (Nusantara river volunteers) clean dozens of mangrove trees from plastic waste, at the Mangrove Coast of Wonorejo, Surabaya, East Java, Sunday (22/8/2021). This action is to prevent the long-term consequences of plastic waste for mangrove productivity, because the mangrove ecosystem is very important for the city of Surabaya as a land from seawater intrusion. "Coastal mangrove trees will die if they are not freed from the plastic waste that is wrapped around their branches and roots, we want to contribute to cleaning up plastic waste that is dumped in rivers and ends up on the beach," said Laili Nurdiyanah, a student at the State Islamic University of Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang. 

Plastic Waste Evacuation From Mangrove

plastic waste that is wrapped around their branches and roots

For fisheries, the mangrove ecosystem on the east coast of Surabaya plays an important role for economic fisheries productivity because mangroves provide protection and nutrition for fish in the Madura strait. Plastic flakes on the coast will turn into microplastics and contaminate Surabaya's seafood. "All plastic waste that covers and is stuck in the branches and roots of mangroves must be evacuated and cleaned if left unchecked it will interfere with mangrove productivity, the mangrove ecosystem is very important for the city of Surabaya because it protects the land from sea water intrusion, for fisheries the mangrove ecosystem of the east coast of Surabaya It is important for economic fishery productivity because mangroves provide protection and nutrition for fish in the Madura Strait,” said Ayu Wanda Dewantari, a student at Airlangga University from the Department of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. 

Plastic Waste Polluter

"Every year, the Indonesian population contributes 2.6 million tons of plastic waste polluting the sea from rivers, a total of 3.2 plastic waste is thrown into the sea which makes Indonesia the second largest plastic pollution contributor in the world," said Indah Kurnia Sari, a student. In the 7th semester of Biology Department, Sunan Ampel State Islamic University, Surabaya, Indah Kurnia further felt concerned about the amount of single used plastic waste found along the Wonorejo beach For this reason, Relawan Sungai Nusantara encourage changes in single-use plastic consumption patterns. There must be a change in people's behavior to reduce the use of single-use plastics, the government must make regulations prohibiting single-use plastics and producers must be willing to redisg plastic wrap with a refill model.