Waste especially plastic pollution has become a serious threat to Bali’s image as a world-renowned tourist destination. In response, the Provincial Government of Bali is taking firm action to address the issue on the Island of the Gods.
During the 2025 World Environment Day celebration in Kuta on June 5, Bali Governor Wayan Koster stated that several regulations have been issued, including a ban on single-use plastics and the implementation of waste management at the source. However, enforcement of these rules was hindered between 2018 and 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a top global tourist destination, Bali is particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of waste. To address this, the Bali government launched the “Clean Bali from Waste” movement in April 2025, with support from Minister of Environment and Forestry (MoEF), Hanif Faisol Nurofiq. The initiative aims to make Bali waste-free by 2027.
Village-Level Waste Management
Governor Koster emphasized that current efforts are concentrated on two main areas: reducing single-use plastics and managing waste down to the village level.
One concrete step is the prohibition of producing and distributing single-use plastic bottled drinks. By January 2026, such products, especially those under one liter will no longer be allowed in Bali, including in malls and hotels.
This regulation has been widely socialized across the island. Of the 636 villages, 42 percent have issued local rules banning single-use plastic beverage packaging. Additionally, about 96 percent of Bali’s 1,500 traditional villages have enacted customary regulations with similar restrictions, effective July 2025. Public response has been positive.
Single-use plastic drinks are also banned at weddings and traditional ceremonies, replaced with refillable gallon containers. The use of tumblers is increasingly common, including in schools. Moreover, this initiative has spurred the growth of small businesses producing eco-friendly tumblers made from natural materials like bamboo.
Bali as Indonesia’s Tourism Showcase
Minister Hanif Faisol highlighted Bali’s vital role as Indonesia’s tourism showcase to the world. He stressed the importance of protecting oceans, cleaning beaches, and preserving cultural heritage as part of sustainable tourism practices.
He called on Bali to lead Indonesia in reducing single-use plastics—not just out of obligation, but from environmental awareness and love for the island’s ancestral land.
He also reiterated his ministry’s full support for Bali’s efforts in waste management, urging all stakeholders to comply with the governor’s regulations to avoid intervention from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
Support from the Tourism Ministry
On the same occasion, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ni Luh Puspa, said that waste management is not only a matter of environmental hygiene but also closely linked to tourism sustainability. She praised the Bali provincial government’s initiatives, noting that they align with the ministry’s vision for quality and sustainable tourism.
This year’s World Environment Day carries the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution,” echoing the commitment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to end plastic pollution globally.
Although last year’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) talks ended without resolution, there is strong hope that the issue will be addressed at the upcoming August conference.
Source: Liputan6.com
Feat Image: via AFP