“Laut bukan tempat sampah!”

Reduce Re use Recycle : Our sea is not a rubbish bin!

Jakarta Bay is located in the north of Jakarta. It is a rather shallow bay (average depth 15 m) covering an area of about 514 km2.

The bay receives fresh water runoff from 13 rivers which cross the Jakarta Metropolitan Area where 20 million people live.

Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) is an archipelago within the bay which consist of 108 small islands, forming a chain of offshore islands stretching along some 80 km in a NW – SE direction and 30 km from west to east.

The Jakarta Bay and Kepulauan Seribu environment has been increasingly affected by a range of human and natural impacts, including pollution, natural ecosystem transformation and non-sustainable coastal resource exploitation.

The northern part of the Thousand islands in fact is a protected marine park (http://www.tnlkepulauanseribu.net/ ) where many vulnerable and also endangered animal species live. JAAN strives to protect these animal species and works together with the National Park Authorities. After four years of running conservation activities JAAN is now dealing with another problem. Yearly many animals become the victim of the plastic waste entering the area. JAAN witnessed a sea turtle that had suffocated a plastic bag, a dolphin jumping out of the water with plastic covering the dorsal fin, released eagles playing with plastic bags on the beach or mistaking plastic bags in the sea for food. Also during underwater surveys while diving JAAN realized that reef clean up actions are very needed. Fortunately Reef Check activities take place in the Thousand Islands. And sister organizations like Terangi have also contributed much to the conservation of the area. JAAN started now with beach clean up days after which the plastic is separated and re-used.

The plastic is sewn in to bags by local people that can be sold. This doesn’t only reduce the plastic in the area, it motivates people to clean up and start recycling.

Eat for Health (Jakarta) has assisted JAAN with the setting up of these activities.

One local person (Toah) from Pramuka island was trained in the recycling of plastic. Now Toah works together with other local people to recycle plastic that is washed upon the pristine beaches within The Thousand Islands.

The bags are sold although still on small scale and the profit supports the local people and JAAN activities within the area.

Recycled items also sold and promoted through www.saveoursea.nl

JAAN runs a recycle centre named ‘Huize Bloem’ at Pramuka Island.