Bali’s Governor Wayan Koster has announced new legislation that will change the way in which trash is managed on the island.
Bali’s waste management issues have hit international headlines over the year and in his second term as provincial leader Governor Koster wants to get a handle on the issue once and for all.
On the 11th of April 2025 Governor Koster’s Bali Waste Clean Up Movement will officially come into effect. As stipulated in Circular Letter Number 9 of 2025 concerning the Bali Waste Clean-Up Movement, the new policies are set to see huge changes in the way in which trash is dealt with across the island.
One of the biggest shake-ups the new policies stipulate is to put far more onus on businesses, especially businesses in the tourism sector, to take responsibility for processing the waste that their enterprise produces.
In a press conference held on Sunday 6th April, Governor Koster explained “We should not wait until the end of my second term. If possible, this waste problem must be resolved by the middle of the term.” The new policies mean that businesses are now responsible for separating and processing or storing their own trash.
While Governor Koster formally outlined the details of the Bali Waste Clean Up Movement over the weekend, his press conference came just days after meeting with Bali based environmental NGO Sungai Watch.
Governor Koster and the provincial government are on a mission to make serious changes to the ways in which waste is managed on the island by businesses, by local commutes and by tourists too.
Speaking to the media after his visit Governor Koster explained “In implementing the 2025-2030 program, as part of the Nangun Sat Kerthi Loka Bali mission, one of the urgent priorities is to make Bali free from waste. The target is within two years, the sooner the better.”
He added “Source-based waste management in Bali must be successfully implemented in 636 villages and 1,500 tractional villages, that will be integrated into this system to ensure a complete resolution. The absolute deadline is 2027.”
Governor Koster has also, somewhat controversially, promised to build a waste incinerator in Temesi, in Gianyar Regency, that will be managed by the state-owned enterprise PLN, to turn trash into energy. He noted that there is an urgency to develop a mass incinerator in central Bali since all open landfill sites across the island are already at over capacity.
The most famous open landfill in Bali, Suwung TPA, is often referred to as ‘trash mountain’ though the site was supposed to be closed by November 2023, in time for Bali’s hosting of the G20 Summit, tonnes upon tonnes of trash is still dumped there every day.
For tourists, this will mean a huge number of changes too. While businesses have been given a grace period to get a plan together, Governor Koster wants to see all businesses operating their own waste management systems by 1st January 2026.
Over the next few months, tourists in Bali may see single-use plastics completely disappear from tourist attractions, accommodations, and eateries.
Tourists will be increasingly encouraged to make more sustainable choices such as using a reusable water bottle, carrying with them a tote bag for their shopping, and buying food that is packaged with sustainable materials such as banana leaves or paper bags and much more.
Outside of waste management issues, Bali is on a mission to promote more sustainable and culturally respectful tourism on the island.
Top sustainable travel experiences in Bali include staying at top eco-hotels like Bambu Indah or Bali EcoStay, taking part in regenerative travel experiences such as the Astungkara Way, or dining at any of the island’s exceptional earth-conscious eateries such as Zest, Sayuri’s, Locavore or Mana Earthly Paradise to name but a few.
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Peter Scott
Tuesday 15th of April 2025
The tourists are not the problem!!!!
It's the locals who throw rubbish everywhere.
They don't care, no education, easy to blame tourists for everything!
The tourists are the ones who keep Bali alive. Bring jobs, income for the locals.
The problem is the local government who have their heads in the sand.
They do nothing to fix the problem, just blame the tourists. So easy. Makes me sick, their ineptitude 😫
Oscar
Thursday 10th of April 2025
I thought there was already a ban on plastic drinking straws and plastic bags. From 2019.
‘Bali Province has banned single-use plastic bags, plastic straws and plastic polystyrene (styrofoam) since July 1 2019 through Regulation of the Governor of Bali Province Number 97 of 2018 concerning Restrictions on the Generation of Single-Use Plastic Waste.’
Steve bm
Friday 11th of April 2025
@Oscar, wash and repeat wash and repeat wash and
Exp
Friday 11th of April 2025
@Oscar, Correct. Many venues serve their drinks in plastic cups. That is just incredible and shows they have no respect for laws and regulation. That said plastic in itself is not the issue if it was properly managed post use.
Jason
Wednesday 9th of April 2025
I like to know , how can they stop using plastic water bottles, when most tourists and locals buy bottled water because you can't drink Bali's water. What's their new way to replace plastic for bottled water or are planning to stop selling bottled water?
Steve bm
Thursday 10th of April 2025
@Jason, 1 litre bottles and above
J West
Wednesday 9th of April 2025
I suggest that Mr Koster situate hidden CCTV cameras in the palm trees up country where trash is freely thrown by locals into the ravines before being flushed onto the beaches . The images would provide proof for prosecution where guilty parties would be imprisoned with lengthy Singapore style sentences...caning and all. Because if there are no consequences, the crime will continue.
Ni massi
Wednesday 9th of April 2025
The air quality is already horrendous due to people handling their own trash, as half the population burns it. Will this mean it will get even worse? One would think it's bad enough already, but i guess not everybody is getting cancer fast enough.
Exp
Friday 11th of April 2025
@Ni massi, Agree. It is getting crazy out there with construction sites openly setting up burn pits despite regulation stating 50 juta fine or 3 month jail for doing so. My next door Toko Besi started to burn some of their PVC materials resulting in horrible smoke. I had to go over with a bucket full of water to kill the fire.