October 19, 2025 | 09:26 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The discovery of microplastics in Jakarta's rainwater by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) serves as an environmental alarm that needs immediate action, according to Head of the Jakarta Environmental Agency, Asep Kuswanto.
"Plastic pollution is now not only a matter of the sea or rivers; it has also reached the skies of Jakarta," Asep said in a written statement on Saturday, October 18, 2025.
Asep stressed that the BRIN finding is a critical reminder that plastic pollution has spread into the air and must be addressed across all sectors. The Jakarta Provincial Government has already implemented several policies to reduce single-use plastic waste, notably Governor Regulation Number 142 of 2019, which mandates the use of eco-friendly shopping bags.
The Jakarta city administration also employs the Regional Household Waste Management Policy and Strategy (Jakstrada), which targets a 30 percent reduction of waste at the source. Furthermore, the government is expanding waste banks, temporary processing sites for reduce, reuse, recycle (3R TPS), and community-based recycling initiatives to prevent plastic waste from entering the open environment.
"Efforts to reduce plastic must start at the source, from households, industries, to the service sector. Everyone has a role to play," Asep affirmed.
Monitoring and Public Campaign
Asep mentioned that the provincial government is currently coordinating with BRIN to expand the monitoring of microplastics in the air and rainwater. This monitoring is part of the Jakarta Environmental Data Integration (JEDI) system, a platform dedicated to data-based environmental quality monitoring. The measurement results are expected to form the basis for stronger policies in controlling airborne plastic pollution.
He also conveyed the public campaign, themed "Jakarta Without Plastic in the Skies and the Earth," which urges people to reduce single-use plastic, sort their waste, and refrain from burning waste indiscriminately. "The sky of Jakarta is reminding us to manage the earth more wisely," he concluded.
The Jakarta Provincial Government is inviting entrepreneurs, research institutions, and environmental communities to expand practical actions in plastic reduction and recycling innovations. Asep stated that the Environmental Agency is open to collaborations focused on research, technology, filtration, and the development of eco-friendly products.
BRIN's Research Findings
Previously, BRIN researcher Muhammad Reza Cordova stated that their research, ongoing since 2022, revealed the presence of microplastics finer than dust in every rainwater sample collected in Jakarta. These small particles are formed from plastic waste floating in the air due to human activities.
"These microplastics come from synthetic clothing fibers, vehicle and tire dust, plastic waste incineration residue, and plastic degradation in open spaces," Reza said in a written statement on Friday, October 17, 2025.
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