Massive Clean-Up Mission Underway At Bali Tourist Beach 

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Following a week of extreme weather in Bali, clean-up teams have been deployed across the island’s most popular beaches to clear tides of debris that have landed on the shoreline.

Trash has also been washed downstream from villages inland.

Bali’s Samigita Beaches, which consists of Kuta Beach, Legian Beach, and Seminyak’s coastline, have been hit with tonnes of debris and trash.

While the majority of the debris is organic, namely tree branches, tree trunks and leaf litter, there is plenty of plastic waste in the mix too.

Officials have confirmed that clean-up teams from the Badung Environment and Cleanliness Service (LHK) have been deployed to tackle the issue.

Speaking to reporters, the Badung Marine Debris Evacuation Detection Coordinator, I Made Gde Dwipayana, explained that the trash started to appear suddenly during Monday’s Nyepi celebrations and continued until the following day.

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Dwipayana told reporters on Thursday afternoon, “We’ve started transporting rubbish, and we will continue tomorrow because the amount is very large.”

“We estimate that if there is no significant additional waste, tomorrow all of it will be transported.” With more high winds and the potential for tidal waves along Bali’s southern coast over the weekend, officers will keep a close eye on the beachfront.

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Dwipayana confirmed that Legian Beach was affected the worst this time around, while Kuta Beach was comparatively clearer.

Dwipayana noted that upwards of 60 tonnes of waste was recovered from Seminyak Beach, over 200 tonnes from Legian Beach, and 150 tonnes from the shoreline of Kuta Beach.

Trash will be separated as best as possible, with logs and wooden debris being taken to Mengwitani TPST to be chopped and processed into sawdust that can be claimed by the public for free.

The inorganic waste will be sent to nearby Suwung TPA, the largest open landfill site in Bali.

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When asked if teams are predicting more tides of waste and debris to land in Kuta, Legian and Seminyak Dwipayana said more could be on the way.

He told reporters, “Maybe this is just the beginning; we don’t know yet because the situation is different [every year]. We estimate this [incident] is due to the wind conditions; rain is definitely the trigger.”

He noted that tourists had not been issuing complaints about the conditions at the beach, partly because so many people are used to seeing the sight by now and partly due to the quick and effective clean-up operation system in place at the resort hotspots.

Dwipayana explained, “Trash delivery [on the beaches] is now commonplace; there are no complaints from tourists because, on average, they already know that this season, there will definitely be garbage delivery. Moreover, traders and beach staff also help us to clean up the trash we have sent away.”

Speaking earlier this week, the Bali Province Regional Secretary, Dewa Made Indra, invited the public to change their mindset regarding waste.

During the National Clean Action event in Tahura Ngurah Rai, Indra confirmed that the province still has a long way to go to tackle the waste management issue and that it is a collective effort to turn the tide on the problem.

Indra said, “In Bali, we are still continuing to work on the waste problem by building TPST/TPS3R [recycling centers] in villages, with the hope that villages can manage their own waste and not pollute other villages.”

“We are still continuing to encourage this, because Bali is a window to world tourism. The waste problem is a crucial issue which we are currently continuing to deal with.”

Tourists thinking of visiting Kuta Beach, Legian Beah, and Seminyak Beach this weekend are urged to adhere to the warning flag system that will be in place.

Following extreme weather warnings, the Bali lifeguard service has deployed 117 lifeguards on duty working in shifts throughout the day until the bad weather front passes.

Tourists are advised not to enter the water all over the coming days, but certainly not when red flags are in place. This advice serves as a warning for swimmers and surfers.