Ecoton : “Australian Plastic Waste Passes Microplastics to Our Babies”

Surabaya (August 6) - Amid intensive negotiations at the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) for the Global Treaty on Plastics, underway in Geneva, Switzerland, until August 14, the world is working to develop an agreement to end plastic pollution to protect human health and the environment. However, ironically, Indonesia remains a target for plastic waste shipments from Australia. Ecoton held a demonstration urging Australia to stop sending waste to Indonesia in front of the ESA Sampoerna building (Australian Consulate General) in Surabaya. Ecoton's research reveals that Australian plastic waste sent to Indonesia poses a major threat to society and contributes to the burden of disease in Indonesia:

● Australia has shipped 2.7 billion kilograms of paper waste (HS 4707) contaminated with plastic scrap from 2020 to 2024 (the last five years), an average of 542,000 tons per year. With projected data estimated to reach around 1.27 million tons by 2045, without policy intervention, the volume of waste shipped from Australia could nearly double compared to 2024.

● Australia shipped 22,333 tons of plastic waste to Indonesia during the 2023-2024 period, a 27.9% increase from the previous 16,100 tons of incoming waste

● Australian plastic waste triggers dioxin pollution in Tropodo village, Krian District, Sidoarjo Regency, Gedangrowo village, Prambon District, Sidoarjo Regency, and Pagak District, Malang Regency.

● Indonesia bears the burden of environmental impacts, especially in public health. Based on findings by Ecoton, Wonjin University, and UNAIR, microplastics were found in blood (88 particles/26 samples), amnion (107 particles/11 samples), and urine (52 particles/9 samples).

● Microplastic exposure exacerbates health inequalities, with a greater impact on infants and children. The average daily exposure to microplastics in infants aged 0–6 months is estimated at 49 ± 32 particles per day, with the highest exposure occurring at 54 ± 38 particles per day in infants aged 3–4 months (Kadac-Czapska et al., 2024).

 Microplastics from Australian Waste Threaten the Health of Babies in East Java

Over the past five years, Australia has been a highly active country in shipping waste (HS Code 4707) contaminated with plastic scrap to Indonesia, totaling 2,713,206,050 kg (2020-2024), followed by the USA, Italy, the UK, and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, for plastic waste shipments (HS Code 3915), Australia shipped 22,333 tons of plastic waste to Indonesia during the 2023-2024 period, a 27.9% increase from the previous 16,100 tons of incoming waste. This waste shipment is concerning, as it has the potential to increase the burden of microplastic contamination in Indonesia. Recent research shows that microplastics are now found in meconium, the first stool of newborns. This indicates that exposure to plastic particles begins in the fetal period. The types of microplastic polymers found include PE, PP, PS, PA, PU, and EVA (Mathew et al. 2025).

Ecoton's research reveals that waste that ends up in the environment can break down into microplastics, which can then penetrate the placenta and enter the amniotic fluid. The most dominant polymers were PE, PVC, and Nylon 66. "Our findings indicate that the uterus is no longer a safe space for the fetus, as microplastics have been found in the placenta, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood, and maternal blood. This can cause oxidative stress, hormonal disruption, and DNA damage to the fetus," said Rafika Aprilianti, Head of the Ecoton Laboratory.

Australia Has Not Seriously Handled Waste to Indonesia Since 2024

Ecoton 2024 urged Australia to take responsibility for its plastic waste shipments to Indonesia. However, no concrete steps have been taken as of 2025. Ecoton's findings in Gedangrowo and Pagak villages indicate that Australian plastic waste is being openly burned and haphazardly dumped, releasing toxic dioxins into the air, soil, and food supplies of residents. This situation has made Indonesia a final dumping ground for waste from developed countries, posing serious risks to health, the environment, and future generations. "Australia must immediately stop exporting plastic waste to Indonesia and support a fair international agreement under the Global Plastic Treaty," said Alaika Rahmatullah, coordinator of the Ecoton Imported Waste Action.

 Action Demands

This action also serves as momentum for the ongoing negotiations on the Global Plastic Treaty, Session 5.2. Ecoton calls on world leaders to:

1.      Stop All Forms of Plastic Waste Exports from Australia to Indonesia

The Australian government must immediately stop the practice of exporting plastic waste to Indonesia, which clearly violates the environmental principle of non-dumping and creates an ecological imbalance between developed and developing countries.

2.      Support an Ambitious, Binding, and Equitable Global Plastics Agreement. Australia is expected not only to be a party to the INC-5.2 negotiations, but also to be a leader in setting a maximum limit on global plastic production, banning the cross-border trade of plastic waste, and promoting adequate international funding mechanisms to support systemic transitions in developing countries.

3.      The Australian and Indonesian Governments Must Actively and Fully Support Protecting Human Health, Biodiversity, and the Environment from Hazardous Chemicals in Plastics

4.      The Indonesian Government is coordinating with the Australian Government to be a leader in a global plastics agreement to phase out hazardous chemicals, including groups of chemicals present throughout the plastic life cycle and that can harm humans, nature, and the environment, and to prevent harmful substitutes.

 

Contact Person:

Alaika (083114966417)