Save the Mangroves from Plastic Waste – Demand corporate accountability

Aeshnina'Captain River Warrior (left) and Her  mother (Right) carefully
remove plastic Waster Strangling mangrove roots at Wonorejo Beach Surabaya,
on July 26, 2025. This Hands-on action highlights the urgent neet to protect
Indonesia's critical coastal ecosystems from Plastic Pollution

"Plastic waste has become deeply embedded—fused into the very flesh of the mangroves at Wonorejo Beach, Surabaya. It's extremely difficult to clean, nearly impossible to free the mangroves from this plastic plague," stated Aeshnina "Captain River Warrior", alongside her mother and over 30 volunteers from ECOTON, Public Health students from Malang State University, and Marine Fisheries students from Brawijaya University, Malang.  Mangrove Day Commemoration, July 26, 2025 ECOTON, the Marapaima (Student Volunteers for River and CommunityCare), River Warrior Indonesia, and No Waste Surabaya held a two-day action to free mangroves from plastic waste and clean up plastic-entangled trees along the Brantas River.

Volunteers conduct brand audit to Identify the corporation
responsible for polluting Surabaya coastline (26/7/2025)

 "After witnessing the condition of mangroves along Surabaya's eastern coast, we assert that even recyclable plastics like PET often become contaminated and end up discarded. Meanwhile, single-use plastic production continues to rise while recycling infrastructure fails to keep pace, making recycling merely a false solution without consumption reduction," stated Alaika Rahmatullah, Waste Audit Coordinator of ECOTON.

Pollution Findings in Wonorejo Mangrove Ecosystem, Surabaya

1.      Mangroves Strangled by Plastic Waste

Many mangroves in Wonorejo were found choked by plastic waste wrapped around their roots and trunks, stunting growth and disrupting coastal ecosystems.

2.      Indonesia’s 70% Plastic Waste Reduction Target Has Failed

The Presidential Regulation No. 83/2018 on marine debris aimed for a 70% reduction in plastic waste, but leakage from the Brantas River continues to kill mangroves.

Plastic pollution stresses and kills these vital trees.

3.      Waste Dominated by Single-Use Plastics

Brand audit results:

§  Unbranded waste (55%): Plastic bags, straws, styrofoam.

§  Branded waste (45%): Unilever (15%), Wings (10%), Indofood (8%), Mayora (7%) and Garuda Food (5%)

 Brantas River: A Critical Pathway for Plastic Waste Transport

Daru Setyorini (Left) and ECOTON Volunteer lift the "Anaconda" a term for
the suffocating coils of plastic waste strangling mangrove roots (26/7/2025)

The Brantas River Basin has become a critical conduit for plastic waste, transporting debris from upstream to downstream and polluting coastal mangrove ecosystems like Wonorejo. ECOTON's findings at Sumber Mendit, Malang (July 27)—located in the Brantas' upstream—confirmed significant plastic waste flowing into the river, eventually reaching Surabaya's eastern coast. This accumulation reflects poor waste management along the river, solidifying the Brantas as East Java’s primary plastic waste highway.

The Hidden Threat of Plastic Waste

Microplastics, formed from degraded plastic waste, have contaminated marine food chains and been detected in human blood and placenta, proving plastic has infiltrated our food supply with potential health risks. "Microplastics accumulate in organs, triggering chronic inflammation, immune disruption, and carrying toxins like BPA and heavy metals. Long-term exposure is linked to hormonal disorders, reduced fertility, and neurological risks," explained Meylisa Rheinia Lumintang, Marine Science Student at Brawijaya University, Malang.

Action Highlights,  Day 1 (Saturday, July 26): Mangrove root cleaning and Plastic waste brand audit to identify pollutersat Wonorejo Mangrove Forest, Surabaya. Day 2 (Sunday, July 27): Plastic waste evacuation from trees along the Brantas Riverbanks in Gresik and Sumber Mendit, Malang.

"This two-day event involved 25 volunteers and successfully removed 800 kg of plastic waste tangled in mangrove roots and trunks," said Alaika Rahmatullah, Waste Audit Coordinator of ECOTON.

Recycling Is Not the Ultimate Solution for Mangrove Plastic Waste

·         Only 9% of global plastic waste is recycled (OECD 2022).

·         The rest ends up in landfills, incinerators, or polluting land/sea ecosystems.

·         Multilayer sachets (commonly found in mangroves) cannot be recycled.

      Demands:

1.      Immediate Coastal Barriers in Surabaya

The Surabaya City Government and East Java Provincial Government must install sea barriers to block plastic waste from entering coastal ecosystems and protect mangroves.

2.      Optimized Waste Management in Brantas River Basin

BBWS Brantas, Jasa Tirta I Malang, and local governments along the Brantas must prevent plastic leakage into coastal areas.

3.      Ban on Single-Use Plastics in East Java

Prohibit the most polluting, non-degradable plastics: plastic bags, straws, styrofoam, and multilayer sachets.

4.      Strengthened Government-Community-Producer Collaboration

Enhance partnerships for plastic reduction programs.

5.      Strict Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Enforcement

Hold producers accountable for waste collection, recycling, and environmental damage mitigation.        

Contact: Alaika Rahmatullah (+62 831-1496-6417)

#SaveBrantasRiver #BreakFreeFromPlastic #MicroplasticFreeFuture